Bunty Longrigg - Somerset Captain

Somerset Captain

In 1937, Longrigg played for Somerset more often, turning out in 11 matches and captaining the side on occasion in the absence of the regular captain, his fellow Bath solicitor Reggie Ingle. At the end of the season, amid some disgruntlement about the side's lack of drive under the amiable Ingle, Longrigg was appointed captain for the 1938 season. The move, Wisden reported in 1939, was a success: Somerset won 10 Championship matches for the first time ever and rose six places up the table to finish seventh. It wrote: "Better team-work played an important part in Somerset's achievements, and in this connection they owed much to E. F. Longrigg... if he did not altogether fulfil expectations as a batsman, he certainly left no doubts concerning his qualifications for leadership. Those who closely followed the county's fortunes were impressed by his tact and judgment as well as keenness which often manifested itself." The personal highlight of the season was an unbeaten 187 against Gloucestershire at Bristol, and he added an unbroken 143 in 90 minutes for the eighth wicket with John Barnwell that was the Somerset record for the wicket until beaten by 172 by Viv Richards and Ian Botham in 1983.

The 1939 season was more difficult, and Somerset fell back to fourteenth in the Championship. Longrigg's best innings of the season was only 82, against Oxford University, when he had to bat with a runner because of a strain.

After the Second World War, Longrigg returned for one final season as Somerset captain and led the side to its best placing in the Championship since 1892. The team finished fourth with a record 12 victories, and Wisden again cited teamwork as an ingredient in the side's success. At the age of 40, Longrigg's was not a great contribution in terms of runs, though he managed four 50s in the season. At the end of the season he stepped down from the captaincy. He made only two further appearances in first-class cricket, both in the 1947 season.