Is Somerset, one of the most famous counties in England, trying to set the things right and redeem itself? It seems like that, as it has decided to honor one of its greatest players, who donned the cap of the Somerset, Joel Garner, in Taunton. As a token of honor one of the gates at the Riverside entrance would be named after him. It would indeed be a moment of nostalgia and it may facilitate in glossing over unsavory moments that Garner might have with Somerset. Incidentally, the club has already named one of the gates in the club after Sir Vivian Richards.

In the early eighties garner along with Vivian Richards was the key edifice of Somerset, Ian Botham forming the pivot. This triumvirate in general and Garner in particular were responsible for numerous successes that Somerset enjoyed during those times. Owing to their presence in the team, Somerset won series of one-day trophies.

The unsavory incident happened when Garner, who is also known a ‘big bird’, on account of his height, it being 6 ft 8 inches, asked by the club authorities to leave the club with the curt advice that his services were no longer required by the county club. He was not alone even Vivian Richards was also issued the same advisory by Somerset. As a spin-off effect of this advice Ian Botham also took a decision not to play for Somerset and he also quit the club. Ian Botham had taken this decision as he and Richards were great pals, both on and off the field.

It would indeed be one of the rare instances in the history of cricket where players from two rival countries became close pals, and on account of the friendship itself Botham decided to cut short his career with Somerset. There have been no such subsequent examples of camaraderie and friendship between players of two different countries. May be, during those times commercialism did not have any value in the eye of a cricketer and therefore the friendship prospered. One also wonders whether any friendship of this kind can germinate after the advent of the Indian Premier League where all the major players of the world cricket are playing against each other.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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