THE opening dinner of Somerset CCC’s 150th Anniversary which took place in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion has been deemed a great success by the many members, guests and former players who attended.

Vice chairman Richard Brice welcomed guests before they took part in a Somerset themed Head and Tails competition organised and run by Spencer Bishop who compared the whole of the event.

Guests then sat down to enjoy the starter course of their dinner after which players who appeared in the losing Lords finals in 1967 and 1978 took part in a Q&A. Peter Robinson, who played in 1967 against Kent, recounted the fantastic atmosphere there was at Lord’s and that each of the Somerset players received a bonus of just £15 each for reaching the final.

Vic Marks, who played in the 1978 final against Sussex, recalled that the young Somerset side were slightly overawed by the occasion and that the experience had made the team more determined for the following season.

Brian Rose, who led the county to five one day cup trophies in as many seasons, said that to be the first ever Somerset captain to win a trophy was something he always dreamt about and that lifting the Gillette Cup in 1979 was the highlight for him.

Vic Marks ad Derek Taylor both talked about being part of the Glory Years team and Vic also reflected that a number of the team members were local lads who had developed under the guidance of skipper Brian Close.

The focus of attention then turned to the Cheltenham and Gloucester success in 2001 which Jamie Cox, Keith Parsons and Rob Turner all remembered fondly. Keith said that the 12 or 13 players were all mates and enjoyed each others company, both on and off the field, and many of them still meet up regularly.

Jamie talked about the 2001 semi final success against Warwickshire, which was due to a crucial partnership between Rob Turner and Keith Dutch, while in the final Keith Parsons was the hero with the bat for Somerset.

Jamie said that playing for Somerset was the best time of his career and the only time he ever won a trophy. Keith Parsons then focused on the 2005 T20 Cup success and how Graeme Smith had been a major influence even in the short time that he had been with the county.

Tom Abell spoke about how special it was to stand on the balcony at Lord’s holding the Royal London One Day Cup aloft in 2019.

Lewis Gregory, who led Somerset to the Vitality Blast victory in 2023, said that following the defeat in the final the previous year Somerset had come back bigger, better and stronger.

The resounding message from everyone who was interviewed was that Somerset is the best supported club in the country and its loyal fans will travel anywhere to watch their team play.

The draw for the raffle took place before Somerset chairman Sir Michael Barber rounded off the evening by reflecting on the achievements over the last 150 years and looking forward to a new era with the introduction of a fully professional women’s team in 2025.

Finally Sir Michael said the aim of the SCCC board of directors is to ensure that there will be a club competing at the highest level for many generations to come.