IF you had to write a book about 172 great sports all rounders, how many Somerset cricketers would you include?

Well, see what you think of the six names an author from Taunton has come up win his book Sport’s Great All-Rounders about stars who have excelled at more than one game.

Many readers will already know that Sir Ian Botham, Sir Viv Richards and Brian Close, who died last month, also turned out at football.

When they weren’t terrorising white flannelled opponents, Botham played soccer for Yeovil Town and Scunthorpe, while Richards is said to have turned out for Antigua in a World Cup qualifier, and Close played for Bradford City.

Of the older players, Sammy Woods was an England rugby international in the latter half of the 19th Century Jack MacBryan, who has the dubious honour of being the only cricketer to appear in a Test match without batting, bowling or dismissing anyone in the field when he appeared for England against South Africa in 192, was also a field hockey international, winning gold at the 1920 Olympics.

Another Olympic field hockey medallist was Jack MacBryan, who won silver in 1948, and also played rugby for England in an international trial match.

Their stories are told by James Holder, himself a sportsman, having played tennis for Somerset and cricket for Somerset Stragglers Juniors.

James, 61, was born in Taunton and brought up in West Monkton, where his parents still live.