46 Facts About Jake Seamer

John Wemyss "Jake" Seamer was an amateur cricketer who played for Oxford University and Somerset either side of the Second World War.

Jake Seamer was described as a leg break googly bowler, but in truth he rarely bowled at all, and claimed just four first-class wickets.

Jake Seamer played the best of his cricket while at Oxford University.

Jake Seamer made his highest score against Free Foresters in his second year, during which he accrued 858 runs, more than double he managed in any other season.

On completion of his studies at Oxford, Jake Seamer joined the Sudan Political Service, which limited his first-class cricket appearances to periods of leave.

Jake Seamer was named as one of three amateurs to captain Somerset in 1948, leading the team during June and July.

Jake Seamer was born in Shapwick, Somerset on 23 June 1913.

The son of a vicar, Jake Seamer had two secret career wishes in his youth; he wanted to be either an actor or, failing that, a county cricketer.

Jake Seamer attended Marlborough College in Wiltshire, and played for the school's cricket team from 1930 to 1932.

Jake Seamer was a member of the rugby team in 1930 and 1931 first as a wing forward, then as a prop forward.

Jake Seamer came in to bat when Somerset had lost six wickets for the addition of 88 runs, and together with his captain, Reggie Ingle, helped Somerset to recover.

In both his other matches for the county that season, Jake Seamer batted as part of the top order, and though he reached double figures in each of his innings, he did not achieve another half-century.

Jake Seamer played just one first-class match for the university in his first year, appearing against Worcestershire at The Parks.

Jake Seamer scored 33 before being run out in his only innings, and bowled six overs, though without claiming a wicket.

Jake Seamer appeared eleven times for Somerset that year, but despite regular scores of 20 or more, he did not score a half-century, and averaged 13.06 runs.

Jake Seamer, despite scoring over three hundred runs less than either, finished second in the batting averages for the year with 51.76.

Jake Seamer scored three centuries for the university, passing one hundred runs against the Free Foresters, the Minor Counties and the Marylebone Cricket Club.

Jake Seamer earned his cricketing Blue in 1934, appearing in the University match against Cambridge University.

Jake Seamer was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, but batted with resolve in the second.

Jake Seamer remained at the crease with the tail for over two hours, eventually being not out on 24, to help Oxford force a draw.

Jake Seamer found batting more difficult in the County Championship: in thirteen innings for Somerset in 1934, he passed 50 once, against Kent, and averaged 16.81, significantly lower than his total for Oxford.

Jake Seamer scored the last of his four first-class centuries in 1935, his third year at Oxford and his fourth of ten seasons of first-class cricket.

Jake Seamer struggled for runs in his other matches for the university that year, and in the contest against Cambridge, he scored four and three in a game which Cambridge won easily.

Jake Seamer graduated in 1935, but returned to Oxford for a further year to study Arabic.

Jake Seamer followed that with a further game for Somerset in which he was not successful and travelled with the Somerset side for the next match against Glamorgan at Llanelli, but Mitchell-Innes, as Oxford captain, called him up as cover for the injured Roger Kimpton; on the morning of the match, The Times reported that Kimpton was likely to play and Seamer would be stood down.

Jake Seamer scored 11 runs in the first innings, and then when Oxford were asked to follow on, he batted tenaciously to reach 43 runs, which forced Cambridge to bat again.

In total, Jake Seamer played 21 matches for Oxford, scoring 1,059 runs at an average of 35.30.

The university match in February 1935, in which Jake Seamer again played at right-back, was a goal-less draw in which defences proved too strong for the forwards on either side.

Jake Seamer continued to play cricket for Somerset during his periods of leave, but it dramatically reduced his availability for the county.

When Mitchell-Innes graduated from Oxford the year after Jake Seamer, he joined his friend in the Sudan, where the pair often organised cricket matches, despite the extreme heat.

Jake Seamer's duties prevented him from playing for Somerset at all during 1937, but he appeared eight times the following year through May and early June.

In 1939, the last season of first-class county cricket in England before the Second World War, Jake Seamer played seven times for Somerset.

However, unlike his appearances the previous year, in which he had generally batted as part of the top order, Jake Seamer predominantly appeared in the middle order for the county in 1939, and his highest score was 28.

Jake Seamer did not appear in first-class cricket in 1947, but was named as one of three captains of Somerset in 1948.

Jake Seamer claimed that some of his best friends at the club were among the professionals, who he praised for their team spirit, despite the strained leadership changes.

Jake Seamer's batting was no longer strong enough to support his inclusion in the team, and he played low in the middle order.

Jake Seamer failed to reach double figures in any of his first seven innings that season, but recorded a half-century against Kent in his final match for Somerset, his first since 1936 in first-class cricket.

Jake Seamer did not appear again for Somerset after his period as captain in 1948.

Jake Seamer made his final first-class appearance the following season, appearing for the Free Foresters against Oxford University.

Jake Seamer later made three Minor Counties Championship appearances for Wiltshire in 1956, though without much success.

Jake Seamer married Letice Dorothy Lee, and had two children, Katherine Judith and Mary.

Jake Seamer served as mayor of Marlborough twice, and as a justice of the peace, and was awarded Freedom of the City in 2001.

Jake Seamer died, following an illness on 16 April 2006, aged 92.

Jake Seamer had some quirks to his personality, and Roebuck goes as far as describing him as an eccentric.

In one match, Jake Seamer had been dismissed, and passed one of these heroes, Jack White coming to the wicket.

Unlike most amateurs of the time, Jake Seamer prioritised defensive play when batting; he watched the ball and minimised the risks, valuing his own wicket.