Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Back in June my Sunday Supplement paid tribute to tea ladies and one in particular, Over Stowey’s Elsie. It is with great sadness that I hear she passed away early on Friday morning.

That article I wrote was in recognition of the fact that Elsie had been doing the teas at Stowey for 50 years, a remarkable achievement in anyone’s book, however things sort of snowballed from there.

Yorkshire Tea recognised the feat by sending Elsie a box of goodies, tea pots, milk hugs, tea bags, tea towels etc; this was followed by articles in the local papers and the parish magazine; then by a radio interview on BBC Radio Somerset. I know Elsie enjoyed her brief brush with fame, fully deserved.

Elsie’s Granddaughter Donna stopped me in the street shortly after her radio interview and thanked me for what I had done for her Nan. “A pleasure,” I replied, “but we should be thanking Elsie.”

Social networks are a great forum for those who wish to express themselves. Former Over Stowey cricketer put it wonderfully: “A beautiful lady, gone, but never forgotten! RIP Elsie.”

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Does anyone remember what they were doing 25 years ago? Well I can’t even remember last night, let alone 25 years ago. ‘Rebellion, death threats, feuds and explosive personalities’ as Wisden described their article in this months’ magazine. 25 years ago saw the end of an era, Somerset’s most successful.

Somerset then had a unique balance of a side, with world-class players mixing it with talented local players and chuck in a few blokes from Oxbridge, Somerset went on to win five one day trophies between 1979 and 1983.

This was followed by a few trophy less seasons, in which Somerset finished bottom of the County Championship in 1985 and next to bottom the following year. Something had to be done.

I can remember Frank Bough announcing on Grandstand in August 1986 some ‘breaking news’, that Somerset will not be renewing the contracts of Viv Richards and Joel Garner. I sat in front of the television in disbelief.

It seems something was done. Peter Roebuck persuaded a weak committee that change was necessary, resulting in the side Somerset had would be broken up.

I can still rattle of the names of the tam who won the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1981 and 82. Peter Denning, Brain Rose, Viv Richards, Peter Roebuck, Ian Botham, Nigel Popplewell, Vic Marks, Dennis Breakwell, Joel Garner, Derek Taylor and Colin Dredge. With Hallam Moseley playing in the 1982 final instead of Breakwell.

The decision not to renew the contracts of Richards and Garner split the County. Views and exchanges were very heated between members and supporters alike. It even split the views of players, Botham especially who said he would quit the club unless the two West Indians were reinstated. I can still remember die-hard supporters in the local pub arguing amongst themselves. “I am never going step foot inside that ground again!” was a very common phrase used in the local bars.

Committee meetings after committee meetings were held all around the County; Roebuck attended one meeting which was even held in the Monmouth Room, at The Castle Hotel, Taunton, where Judge Jeffreys had once presided over the Bloody Assizes, a series of 1685 trials that resulted in 300 hangings following a rebellion against King James II - how apt!

After all these committee meetings, the special meeting was then held at the Showground, Shepton Mallet in November 1986. Botham, along with Brian Rose, Vic Marks and Richards were out of the country on international duty; Garner did attend, along with Roebuck, but neither spoke at the meeting.

Pete Denning did speak in favour of reinstating Richards and Garner, while Nigel Popplewell accused them of lack of commitment. The vote went in favour of the committee and the rest, we can now say, is history.

The following few seasons New Zealand’s Martin Crowe became Somerset’s overseas player, and even though their County Championship performances improved, the County still didn’t win any trophies. It wasn’t until 2001 when Somerset lifted some silverware; winning the C&G Trophy at Lord’s and four years later they won the T20 Cup.

Personally, I was a bit too young in 1986 to understand what was really going on, however then, to see such idols as Richards, Garner and Botham leave the County was devastating. Now some 25 years later, all three have become Somerset Life Members, with a stand named after Botham, and a pair of gates named after Richards and Garner. But somehow I know they will never forgive and forget those days of 1986.

And Somerset still haven’t won the County Championship!

Finally Basil D’Olivera passed away this week, a great cricketer, where the colour of his kin became an international issue rather than his cricketing ability, which led South Africa into the sporting wilderness. He was described by one person as: ‘a flagship for all those who despised apartheid.’

Right, 10.57, hangover cure this morning …. time for a pint.