Saeed in Taunton return (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Saeed in Taunton return

8:50pm Wednesday 1st September 2010 in

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DESPITE the current controversy surrounding their tour, Pakistan take on Somerset in a one- day game at the County Ground today (Thursday, 10.45am).

The first match between the two sides was in late July 1954 and resulted in a draw.

Yawar Saeed, who is the manager of the current Pakistan team, played for Somerset against his fellow countrymen in that game and in the second innings took the first four wickets to fall for 54 runs.

Saeed played for Somerset between 1953 and 1955 and appeared in 50 first class matches, taking 78 wickets at an average of 35.73 with his above medium pace bowling, with his best return being five for 61 against South Africa in 1955.

He also scored over 1300 runs, with a highest innings of 64 against Northants in 1954.

Since then the sides have met on eight other occasions with Somerset running out the winners just once - in June 1962 when they triumphed by an innings and 86 runs in a three day match that was all over in a day and a half.

Pakistan were bowled out for 99 before lunch on the first morning with Bill Alley taking 4-22 and Ken Palmer 3-28.

Somerset replied by hitting 331-9 declared in four hours, opener Graham Atkinson making 84 and Peter Wight 67, while lower down the order skipper Harold Stephenson made 66 not out and Brian Langford 43, the pair adding 76 for the ninth wicket. Off spinner Langford then took 6-36 to bowl Pakistan out for 146 second time round.

Langford, who made a record number of 504 first class appearances for Somerset and skippered them between 1969 and 1971 said: “I can remember that the weather was pretty good and we had a large crowd who were probably a little bit disappointed that we won so easily.

“This was a big game for us, like it always is playing against a touring team and Pakistan had a good side out playing against us. We had a strong side at that time as well and the following season we were third in the championship.

“Pakistan had Hanif in their side and he was a fine batsman - but Cecil Buttle must have produced a wicket that we could take a few on.”

Talking about his own innings the former Somerset skipper said: “I don’t think Pakistan had many fast bowlers in their side which was good because neither Steve nor myself were the best against the pacemen, but I could bat a bit and Steve could certainly more than hold his own and scored 1000 runs one season.”

‘Langy’ added: “You always looked forward to the tourists match and in many ways at that time it was the biggest game of the season so it was always good to win.”