Ken Biddulph’s highest score that earned wrath of teammates

August 19, 1960. Ken Biddulph, Somerset’s hard-working medium-pacer, scored his highest ever in First-Class cricket and saved the blushes for the side by saving innings defeat. However, all it earned him was curses from teammates. Arunabha Sengupta relives that strange day.

No one quite knew how old Bill Alley was. The records said 41, but some whispered that he did not count the War years.

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The rumbustious Australian played three seasons for New South Wales just after the War. And then there were many summers of league cricket for Colne and Blackpool. He arrived in Somerset in 1957. He was officially 38 by then. In the following 12 years he played 350 matches for the county, scoring 16,644 runs at 30.48 and capturing 738 wickets at 22.03.

Alley owned a Morris 1000 van, painted yellow and black. He called it The Wasp. And he drove it remarkably fast.

After a Somerset match, all the kits would be piled next to The Wasp. Some cricketers rode in the van with Alley. Some drove their own cars. The bags always went with The Wasp.

That Friday at Southend the bags had all been piled up next to The Wasp and the players had changed into street-wear.

Somerset had started the day at 72 for 3 in the second innings, after having collapsed to 94 the previous day. Trevor Bailey and Roy Ralph had done them in, picking up 9 wickets between them. They had followed on, 250 behind the Essex first innings of 344.

It was Ken Preston who had broken through in the second innings after a stubborn opening stand of 49. After that Bailey had quickly removed young Abbas Ali Baig and Peter Wight.

But with the other Aussie, Colin McCool, at the crease, overnight, and showing some good form on the morrow, there had still been some hope of playing out the final day.

Preston had different ideas, though. He had struck, and struck again. The other bowlers had stuck to their task, and soon the innings had been tottering.

McCool was bowled by Ralph for 35, Alley fell to the off-break of Alan Hurd. The score, at one stage 113 for 3, quickly became 178 for 9. The players sighed, shook their heads and started packing their kit as last man Ken Biddulph walked out to join Colin Atkinson.

One could not question the logic of the Somerset men as they showered, changed and plonked their bags beside Alley’s Morris 1000.

It was Biddulph’s sixth season. The previous one had been his best ever with the bat, he had amassed 144 runs at 8.00 with a highest of 28. That was the first time he had managed to cross three figures for a complete season. His career average when he would later hang up his boots would remain 6.78.

But on this afternoon Biddulph turned out to be no pushover. He fought. Hard.

His crowning glory with the willow till now had been an innings of 11 at Swansea the previous season, that had allowed Somerset to secure the first innings points.

Today, however, he was a different batsman. Strokes flowed off his bat, some crisp drives beat the fielders and went to the boundary. The defence gave an impression of being resolute. The slogs came off. Lofts fell in no man’s land.

At the other end was Colin Atkinson, a schoolmaster at Great Ayton and later at Darlington. It was his first season for a First-Class side after years of Minor County duties for Northumberland. Just about decent with the bat, he was a useful bowler who could send down both medium-pace and leg-spin.

Later he would become headmaster at Millfield and would be awarded CBE for his services in education.

Today, however, he enjoyed himself with the bat. With Biddulph playing the innings of his life, Atkinson started hitting the ball well and often. The Somerset men applauded their strokes for a while. Then they fidgeted. And finally they cursed.

Indeed, their worst fears ultimately came true. Biddulph stroked his way to a career-best 41 before he missed one from Hurd. Atkinson remained unbeaten on 44. The last pair had put on 75.

Innings defeat had been averted. Perhaps there was a bit of puffed up pride in their steps as the two men returned to the dressing-room.

All that greeted them were scowls and curses.

Men were gingerly changing back into their flannels. A disgruntled McCool was throwing his whites on his everyday clothes.

As Gordon Barker and Geoff Smith walked out to get Essex the four runs to win, Alley cursed, “We could be halfway back to Taunton by now.”

Biddulph was rather miffed by it all.

However, normally the opening bowler, he did not have to run in as the Essex men got their runs. Captain Harold Stephenson did not take his normal place behind the wickets, but sent down the first over.

Of course, Biddulph’s new-ball partner Alley could not be asked to bowl either. Not in that mood. The second over was sent down by Baig. Only, with the scores tied, he managed to bowl a maiden, making sure Stephenson had to have another go. Alley must have mouthed something colourful.

And off the first ball of Stephenson’s second over, Smith took the winning run. The torture was over. The Wasp could finally be on its way.

The following season Biddulph did have a moment of batting glory that did not rub his teammates the wrong way. It was when Somerset played the Australians at Taunton and he hung on with Brian Langford for half an hour to ensure a draw.

Brief Scores:

Essex 344 for 6 decl. (Geoff Smith 83, Joseph Milner 44, Trevor Bailey 40, William Greensmith 51*, John Taylor 47*) and 4 for no loss beat Somerset 94 (Trevor Bailey 5 for 41, Roy Ralph 4 for 27) and 253 (Roy Virgin 49, Colin Atkinson 44*, Ken Biddulph 41; Ken Preston 5 for 71) by 10 wickets.