Tom Abell steps down from Somerset captaincy after seven years

29th Nov 2023 'farmer white'

Tom Abell was Somerset captain from 2017 to 2023. This short post marks his place in the top echelons in the history of Somerset captaincy.

In its history, Somerset has had three transformational captains: Maurice Tremlett, Brian Close and Justin Langer. Tom Abell was not of that kind, but of the other kind that leaves a mark. The kind that sustains a team over a number of years through thick and thin. In that, he stands alongside Somerset’s best: Sammy Woods, John Daniell and Marcus Trescothick. And then there is Brian Rose who kept a team of international superstars and players of borderline international class together for rather longer than might have been expected. That is just eight captains in 130 years. Tom Abell fully deserves his place among them.

As to his batting.Too soon to make a final judgement. And let it not be forgotten, in addition to his captaincy, his batting, his occasionally incisive bowling until this last season, he has never fielded anywhere other than in an attacking or pressurising position. Leaving aside the fact that he will field at any position that is needed of him between the keeper and cover, and make each look like it is his own, some of his catches and stops at close midwicket have been magical.

And always time to exchange a few words with supporters.

Not a bad effort to cover that lot by the age of 29.

General Search Function

Search for:

‘Farmer White’ Somerset Cricket Writing

The purpose of this website is to provide a location where the collected cricket writing of ‘Farmer White’ can be accessed and read in one location. ‘Farmer White’ primarily writes Somerset match reports, but also, from time to time, writes articles about individual players, historic matches (defined as pre-2017 for the purposes of this site) which he attended and poems.

Match reports, which have been added regularly since the beginning of the 2017 season are written unashamedly from a Somerset perspective, but try to give a balanced view of the play, equally reflecting good and bad play from both sides. Reports try to reflect the atmosphere of a match and the experience of being a Somerset supporter. On occasion, where ‘Farmer White’ is unable to attend a match in person, a report may be written using the live stream broadcasts of the counties. Where this occurs, ‘Farmer White’ always informs the relevant counties that he is doing so. No county has ever objected and some respond with supportive messages. In this regard, Somerset CCC have been particularly supportive and encourging in their responses. He also, occasionally writes a report on the experience of following a match that he cannot attend or have access to the live stream, an experience suffered by most county supporters.

Most of the site content focuses on Somerset cricket, but occasionally an item not directly related to Somerset cricket may appear.

This is a ‘blog’ style website and so all posts appear on the Home Page. The most recently dated post appears at the top. Beyond that posts appear in reverse date order.

Please refer to the ‘Site Guide’ page for advice on how to navigate the site. The ‘contents’ page which contains links to some of the earlier items, is no longer updated because of the number of match reports, articles and poems now on the site, upwards of 350 at the time of the last update of this information with more being added all the time.

This section will be updated periodically as the content of the site develops.

‘Farmer White’

This information created 17th March 2019. Last updated 8th March 2024

‘Farmer White’

‘Farmer White’, the author of this site, was brought up on the story of one of Somerset’s greatest cricketers, JC ‘Farmer’ White; of how his slow left arm bowling was the epitome of accuracy and that he captained England.

An indelible impression was made and, as indelible impressions do, it has remained with him.

When, at the end of the 2016 season, he began to post reports and occasional articles and poems on threads on grockles.com and needed a posting name ‘Farmer White’ was the natural choice.

JC ‘Farmer’ White 1891-1961

JC ‘Jack’ or ‘Farmer’ White played for Somerset CCC from 1907-37. He captained the side from 1927-31.

He remains the County’s leading First Class wicket taker with 2167 at an average of 18.02. He took 100 First Class wickets in a season 14 times.

With the bat he scored six centuries and scored 1000 runs in a season twice.

He took 381 catches.

He played in 15 Tests for England and captained England four times.

In the 1928-9 Ashes series he was England’s top wicket taker with 25.

In the Adelaide Test he took 13 for 256 in 124.5 overs and England won by 12 runs.

‘FARMER WHITE’ ON CRICKET

To locate the post in which a quote appears click the post title located immediately beneath the quote.

“And then, as at the end of the last match of every season, there was the reluctance of many to leave their seats as they watched, across an empty outfield, the memories of the season past. Better memories for Somerset supporters than for Nottinghamshire ones this year.”
Notts v Som CC1 Day 3 26th Sep 2018
“Winter well”

“Those modes of dismissal summed up the different characters of the bowling of Overton and Gregory. The one seemingly forcing his way through defences to snatch wickets. The other quietly purloining them from unwary batsmen.”
Notts v Som CC1 Day 2 25th Sep 2018
Business end

“This was Hildreth at his glorious, apparently carefree, but doubtless intensely focused best. As the clouds gathered in they might have been the chariots of gods come to see who was creating such perfection in the imperfect world below.”
Notts v Som CC1 Day 1 24th Sep 2018
Of genius and the sublime

“Somerset 4 for 2. And then Hildreth. Hildreth did what Hildreth does. An on driven boundary of perfection off his first ball.”
Som v Surrey CC1 Day 3 20 Sep 2018
Fighting hard

“They be too good for we,” the comment from across the aisle. There was perhaps more truth in that than even the speaker, who I find to be perceptively knowledgeable about cricket, realised.”
Som v Surrey CC1 Day 2 19 Sep 2018
Somerset under the weather

“Somerset in the field were exemplified by Abell at cover. I lost count of the number of times a ball flew off the bat with ‘four’ written all over it only to find itself snared by Abell’s electrifying dives.”
Som v Surrey CC1 Day 1 18 Sep 2018
Surrey on the road

“If momentum means anything we have a chance,” someone said, and Somerset had picked up momentum at the end of the Sussex innings as fast as the Bungee Blast was shooting people into the air. Whether Somerset could turn the match on its head as the bungee did its rotating victims was another matter.”
Som v Sussex T20 SF 15 Sep 2018
All Wright on the night

“When you are at a match and a Test-class fast bowler gets it right at pace and settles into a wicket-taking rhythm in helpful conditions on a helpful pitch it is as if a force of nature has been unleashed on the batsmen.”
Hants v Som CC1 Day 2 11 Sep 2018
A test of class

“On the way back to the car my white wyvern hat attracted another Somerset supporter. It does that. “38 for 3 the last I heard,” he said, “What is going on?” “It’s worse than that,” I replied, “we were 72 for 5 at Lunch.” It was worse than that. “Not us. Them,” he replied. “They are 38 for 3. We were 106 all out.”
Hants v Som CC1 Day 1 10 Sep 2018
Seam from a distance

“I don’t know how much apprehension a human being is supplied with at birth but I have used up enough to fill one of those super tankers that are so difficult to to turn around just watching Somerset.”
Som v Lancs CC1 Day 2 5 Sep 2018
Four days tied up in two

“After Lunch, Leach got to work. He started to pick away at the batsmen like an examiner picks away at students who have not done their revision.”
Som v Lancs CC1 Day 1 4 Sep 2018
22 wickets and 298 runs in Stygian Gloom

“To see one Overton in full flow is a sight worth the seeing. To see both in full flow and in tandem is a sight to treasure.”
Yorks v Som CC1 Day 4 1 Sep 2018
Yorkshire outpaced

“The Yorkshire crowd cannot be faulted for its impartiality when judging the cricket. Even a loud lbw appeal against Hildreth playing well forward met with the response, “No. Thee can’t gi’ that. He’s too far forrard.”
Yorks v Som CC1 Day 3 31 Aug 2018
Perfect day

“The comments of opposition supporters, as a match unfolds, sit on the opposite end of the emotional seesaw to where your own feelings sit. At Headingley the frequency of the comments keeps the seesaw constantly in motion.”
Yorks v Som CC1 Day 2 30 Aug 2018
Not too bad a day

“The gentlest of gentle bat movements produced rocket like power in the ball as it skimmed the outfield and crossed the boundary directly in front of me. “Just look at that,” another Yorkshire voice drooled.”
Yorks v Som CC1 Day 1 29 Aug 2018
Cavalcade

“It was as if the Gillette Cup had passed through a time warp and come to visit. The atmosphere had the feel of those days again. And the match had the feel of the great cup runs of the 70s and 80s.”
Som v Notts T20 QF 27 Aug 2018
Gregory’s game

“This was a significant victory not just in the context of this season but in marking the continuing development of what has the potential to become one of the all-time great Somerset teams, perhaps, just perhaps, the greatest of them all.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 4 22 Aug 2018
A match for the ages

“The Essex horse was loose in the paddock with no-one apparently able to close the gate other than Leach and it is too big a job for one man.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 3 21 Aug 2018
Of stable doors

“Davey has emerged as a genuine front line bowler to be reckoned with this season. No longer a man dependent on April green tops for his wickets. The ball with which he bowled Westley was as good as any you will see.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 2 20 Aug 2018
Bowled over

“The talk at the back of the Somerset Pavilion (elevated) was of Peter Wight. Of Peter Wight and Fred Trueman. Of the day in 1962 when Fred Trueman arrived late for the Championship match at Taunton and was sent home by the Yorkshire captain for his pains.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 1 19 Aug 2018
1962 all over again

“Somerset started dessert with two fours from Davies and a skier from Myburgh…”
Kent v Som T20 S Group 16 Aug 2018
A testimonial to good cricket

“As I left after the match I spoke to a couple who might have watched Somerset in the 1950s and probably did. Neither of them had ever watched T20 before. “A great match,” they said, “and the fielding is a level above.”
Sur’y v Som T20 S Group 10 Aug 2018 A stellar match

“Van de Merwe examined the batsmen with the accuracy of a dentist probing with a drill. He imposed the same disinclination to make any rash movements on the batsmen as a dentist does on a patient.”
Hants v Som T20 S Group 8 Aug 2018
A Rye look at the cricket

“That was the whole match. Somerset disciplined, determined, dominant. Yorkshire determined, rocked back on their heels, fighting back, overcome.”
Som v Yorks CC1 Day 3 30 Apr 2018
Disciplined, determined, dominant.

“The light relented and after Tea out into this frozen wasteland the rules of cricket demanded the players return.”
Som v Yorks CC1 Day 2 29 Apr 2018
Somerset’s Arctic expedition

” There is no need to use superlatives because it was a superlative innings full of its own superlatives.”
Som v Yorks CC1 Day 1 28 Apr 2018
A century for lunch

I remember watching Basil D’Oliviera play and not just at the end of his career. Now I was watching his grandson. ‘Fugit inreparabile tempus’ as Virgil had it. ‘It escapes, irretrievable time” as the all-knowing internet translates it.”
Som v Worcs CC1 Day 3 22 Apr 2018 At last

“One of the things about catching up on 43 years while trying to watch the cricket is you miss the odd thing. Sometimes you miss a year, sometimes you miss a wicket. I missed Abell’s.”
Som v Worcs CC1 Day2 21 Apr 2018
Hildreth takes it away

“The first day of Somerset’s 2018 season. It started disastrously. The patisserie on Paddington Station where I used to start my journeys to Taunton during the years of my eastern exile had gone.”
Som v Worcs CC1 Day 1 20 Apr 2018
Renshaw drives hard

'Farmer White' Somerset Cricket Writing

Somerset CCC match reports plus occasional articles and poems

Tom Abell steps down from Somerset captaincy after seven years

Share this:

Related