Somerset’s quest for gold in one day competitions goes back thirty five years to 1967, and there is one person who has been involved at the club for all that length of time

Richard Walsh29-Aug-2002Somerset’s quest for gold in one day competitions goes back thirty five years to 1967, and there is one person who has been involved at the club for all that length of time.That person of course is Peter Robinson who came to join the Cidermen from his native Worcestershire back in 1965, and since then has become an adopted son of the county.Nowadays he is the clubs Ground Safety Officer, he manages the Somerset Board XI and takes charge of the Under19’s side, to name but a few of his duties.As we sat in his little office at the County Ground recently `Robbo’ cast his mind back over the years to each of the Lord’s finals that he has played a part in.The Cidermen’s first visit to headquarters was in 1967, when they played Kent in the Gillette Cup. Robbo told me: " We played Lancashire in the semi-final in a match that went into the second day. I didn’t play at Old Trafford, and only made the final team because regular opener Tony Clarkson had broken his leg, and I had scored 97 opening against Middlesex."`Robbo’ continued: "The 1967 Lord’s final was the first time that Lord’s had been taken by storm,with the cider and the hops, it was an amazing day."Kent batted first and had reached 138 for 1 before they collapsed to 193 all out. He continued: "It sticks in my mind Colin Cowdrey walking out to bat. He had just been reinstated as England captain and received a standing ovation all the way to the wicket. He got one from Kenny Palmer and clipped it low to me at midwicket where I took the catch that sent him on the long walk back to the pavilion. The crowd were silenced!"Sadly the Kent score was too much for the Cidermen who despite a solid 48 from `Robbo’ were dismissed for 161.Somerset’s next visit to Lord’s was in the Gillette final eleven years later in 1978 by which time Robbo’s playing career had come to a close and he had become county coach.The Cidermen batted first and scored 207 for 7 off their 60 overs. The former coach recalled: "This was the first final that slow bowlers had really come to the fore. Giles Cheatle and John Barclay both bowled well and we lost Viv Richards when he was going well, he was caught sweeping Barclay. That was the first time I had ever seen him tied down by a bowler."He continued: "When they batted Joel was his usual miserly self, but we didn’t score enough runs and Sussex got them with overs to spare."Somerset were back at Lord’s the following season to face Northamptonshire and this time they made no mistake.Robbo told me: "This was Viv and Joel’s match really. Up until that point one of the lesser known players had got us through, but Viv was one for the big occasion, he was really switched on. His 117 gave us a formidable score, and with 269 on the board we felt secure. Then Joel destroyed them just like he always did. He got out the early players and then stopped the tail wagging to end with 6 for 29."He continued: " This was the clubs first trophy for 104 years, a landmark because up until then we had always been the poor relation of first class cricket."The next day the Cidermen travelled up to Trent Bridge where they beat Nottinghamshire to win the John Player League, so the players and the fans really did have something to celebrate after all their years of waiting!The next trip to Lord’s was in 1981 for the Benson and Hedges Cup Final where they played Surrey.Robbo told me: "Once again Viv and Joel dominated the match. They batted first and Joel destroyed them He started with the top order and then finished off the rest when he came back on at the end. Roger Knight played well for his 92, the only one to put us under any pressure, but then Joel returned and got him out to end with the figures of 11 overs 5 maidens 5 wickets for 14 runs."He continued: "When we batted Viv was his awesome self making an unbeaten 132 from 197 to win the Man of the Match award."Somerset were back at Lord’s to defend the Benson and Hedges Cup ther following year and they did it in style. "We slaughtered Nottinghamshire in 1982, it was a bit of a non event really," said Robbo.The former coach continued: "Joel destroyed them taking 3 for 13 from 8 overs, but Vic Marks had the impressive figures of 2 for 24 from 11 overs. He was always around doing his stuff and chipped in with two or three wickets for not too many. He was a very effective foil to Joel, who was firing them down from a great height. He thoroughly deserved the Man of the Match Award for taking the vital wickets of Clive Rice and Derek Randall."The last time that Somerset went to Lord’s during the Glory Years was in 1983 when they took on Kent again in what had by now become the Nat West Trophy.Robbo recalled: "Actually the match in the semi final against Middlesex was a real nail biter, just like the one against Kent this season. Both sides scored 222 , but we got through because we had lost fewer wickets.""I shall always remember that final as Trevor Gards match. Viv got 51,but with a total of 193 you couldn’t feel confident. But Joel could always put people under pressure and he got Mark Benson out early."He continued: "But the real heroes were Trevor Gard and Vic Marks. It was looking easy for them when Chris Tavare and Graham Johnson were in full flow, but then Vic disposed of Tav, caught by Peter Roebuck in the deep, and this led to a collapse, which included Trevor Gard’s two brilliant leg side stumpings to dismiss Derek Aslett off Viv and Chris Cowdrey off Vic this turned the match, and we won."The Cidermen had to wait sixteen years until 1999 before they went to Lord’s again, but on this occasion they were beaten by the old enemy Gloucestershire in the Nat West Final.By this time Robbo was no longer directly involved on the playing front, but the Somerset side on that occasion included a number of youngsters who had been coached by him, including Marcus Trescothick.He told me: "This was the first time that most of them had been to play in a big final at Lord’s and I suspect that they found the pressure difficult to cope with."Two year later the Somerset faithful were back at Lord’s again, but on this occasion they went home with something to celebrate, their first trophy after an eighteen year wait.Robbo said: "They knew what to expect this time and made no mistakes about it when they beat Leicestershire."What about 2002 and the game against Yorkshire I asked him. He told me: "Having been there before the more confident you become, you cope better with the pressure. If we get Andy Caddick and Marcus Trescothick back it will be a very good game. I’m confident that we will retain the title, and I would put money on us at the bookies!"Finally I asked him if he was going to be at Lord’s on August 31st. Before he answered he wistfully ran his hand over his 1967 runner’s up medal and then looked up and told me:
"No I wont be going this time round. I will be staying at home, but I will watch every ball on the television so I might just as well be there!"