A SPECIAL cricketing occasion took place in St George’s Church, Bicknoller, on Thursday (May 14).

Former England international and Somerset batsman Marcus Trescothick officially opened a new pair of oak doors with handles shaped like cricket bats.

The doors were dedicated to the memory of Harold Gimblett, the county’s highest first class run scorer, who was born and grew up in the village.

Harold’s entry onto the first class cricket scene is the stuff of cricket legends - he had a two-week trial at the end of which he was told he was not quite what Somerset wanted.

He was about to set off home when he was called back and told that Somerset were a player short for their game against Essex the next morning and he was playing.

The next day, he missed the 6 am bus to Bridgwater but was given lift by a lorry driver and eventually reached Frome, where going in with the score at 107 for 6, he proceeded to hit what turned out to be a match winning innings of 123.

The farmer’s son, who had been playing his cricket on Watchet’s war memorial recreation ground, became a hero overnight and went on to play three Test matches for England, and, but for the Second World War, would no doubt have played more.

Harold quickly became the mainstay of a fragile Somerset batting line up as he resumed playing for the county after the war.

In 1948, he was the first Somerset player to score a triple century when he hit 310 against Sussex at Eastbourne.

He continued to play for Somerset until 1954, when he retired.

During his career, Harold scored a total of 21,142 first class runs, including 49 centuries at an average of 39.96.

Twelve years ago a service took place in Bicknoller’s St George’s Church to celebrate the centenary of Harold’s birth, since when the trustees of the Somerset Cricket Museum with the Bicknoller Parochial Church Council (PCC) had been working together to create a memorial to him in the church.

Various ideas for the nature of the memorial were investigated, before the final decision was made to install new church doors with a discrete cricket motif and a dedication to Harold, which on Thursday were officially opened.

The ceremony was due to take place outside, but heavy showers led to a change of plan and the 70 or so who were present moved inside the church.

PCC member David Knight, who had been a leading light in driving the project forward, led the proceedings and welcomed everybody.

Among those present were several members of the Gimblett family, representatives from Somerset County Cricket Club, the Somerset Cricket Museum, and Watchet Cricket Cub where Harold played his local cricket, and the two craftsmen from Nether Stowey-based Grandfields, who made and fitted the doors.

Mr Knight introduced Dr Peter January, the cricket museum chairman, who spoke of Harold’s experiences and compared them to those of his contemporary Len Hutton, who was stepping into a highly successful Yorkshire side with a strong batting line up.

Harold on the other hand was joining an unsuccessful Somerset team and carried the burden of the batting from early on, all of which created unwanted pressure on him, despite which his batting delighted and gave joy to all who watched him play.

Former Bishop of Southwark Nigel Stock, now a member of the Bicknoller community and a Somerset CCC member, reflected on the life and career of Harold and read John Arlott’s poem ‘Harold Gimblett’s Hundred.’

Everybody then moved outside, as the rain had stopped, and the local rector the Rev Nicky Morgan said a prayer of dedication before the ribbon to officially open the doors was cut by Somerset’s second-highest first class run scorer Marcus Trescothick.

Mr Knight thanked everybody for attending to honour Harold Gimblett, ‘the finest apple to grow in a Somerset orchard’, and the cricket museum trustees for funding the Harold Gimblett Doors as a fitting memorial to a local hero.

Guests then moved to Bicknoller Village Hall for a special cricket tea and to see a number of exhibits relating to Harold which had been loaned by the cricket museum.