Bill Andrews

Who was Bill Andrews?

Bill Andrews was an English cricketer who played for Somerset. He was a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler and useful middle-order right-handed batsman. He played 226 matches for Somerset between 1930 and 1947 and took 750 wickets at an average of 23.38 and scored 4,833 runs at an average of 15.59.

Andrews was a tall man with a high arm action, often referred to as "12 o'clock high". He kept a good length and generally bowled in swingers to right-handed batsmen. He claimed his high action was modelled on Ted McDonald.

Although he was sacked four times by Somerset, twice as a player and twice as a coach, he put much of his life into the club as player, coach and later on committees and as a supporter. In turn he became one of the most popular players that Somerset have ever had.

Well to the left in terms of politics he did not fit in well with the clear distinction between Amateurs and Professionals prevalent in the game when he started. He seems to have a particular dislike for Jack White who was his first captain at Somerset and was an Amateur from a different era. It has been conjectured that his forthright views were the reason that he was never selected to play any representative cricket.