BOB Clapp, who holds the record for taking the most wickets for Somerset in the John Player League (JPL) returned to the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton recently for only the second time since he departed from the scene 40 years ago, writes Richard Walsh.

The tall right-arm paceman was born in Weston-super-Mare and went to Queen’s College in Taunton.

Clapp played through the Somerset age groups before making his debut for the Second XI under the guidance of the legendary Bill Andrews.

He made his First Class debut for Somerset in 1972, but it was the Sunday afternoon 40-over competition that was Clapp’s speciality.

The highlight came in 1974, when he set a new record for the number of wickets in a season.

That season, Clapp bowled 92.4 overs (the maximum was eight overs per bowler), five of which were maidens, and claimed 34 wickets at an average of 13.17!

He said: “It was great to be back at the ground even though it has changed so much from when I used to play, and it was lovely to catch up with so many of the people I played with during my time with Somerset.

“What was interesting was that 90 per cent of the stories we mentioned revolved around Brian Close.

“I thought that it was just me who remembered bits about Closey.

“The stories just kept tripping out but for me the best part was meeting the players again.

“Somerset have come a long way since then, but when you meet up with your team-mates again it’s just the same and the years roll away.

“I was at school at Queen’s in Taunton and I played in the youth teams and the Under-19s with Bill Andrews, along with Dasher [Peter Denning] and Rosey [Brian Rose] and a few of the others,” he added.

“Gradually, we moved up to the Second XI and played in the Minor Counties which was a joyous time.”

Clapp also talked about his exceptional success in the John Player League (JPL).

“The 40-over JPL became my speciality and I know why it was - because Closey used to bowl me for the last eight overs from one end, which helped,” he explained.

“In those days a lot of teams hadn’t cottoned on how to play Sunday League cricket.

“Because I was quite tall I bowled a length that meant batsmen very often mis-hit me and it would hit the bat just slightly higher than they wanted, and they holed out to me.

“On my day I could swing and seam it a bit, but in that team the support was there.”

Clapp added: “I didn’t enjoy playing because I wasn’t great with pressure, which at that time it was really pressurised, and so you had to get into the zone.

“The grounds were full but you could blot that out and if things were going for you then it lifted you, and you could do things you didn’t realize you could do.”

He went on: “We had a semi-final against Kent and I bowled a ball to Brian Luckhurst that I had never bowled before in my life.

“It swung in, nipped away and the stumps came out of the ground!”

On Close (Somerset captain 1972-77), he said: “When Closey came in everything seemed to click and he did a hell of a lot for Somerset.

“He was the right person to come into the club at the right time.

“They all say Closey was a great captain but I think he was also very lucky that, apart from Joel Garner, who was the icing on the cake, all of the younger players came good together [at that time].”