Lionel Charles Hamilton Palairet was an English amateur cricketer who played for Somerset and Oxford University. A graceful right-handed batsman, he was selected to play Test cricket for England twice in 1902. Contemporaries judged Palairet to have one of the most attractive batting styles of the period. His obituary in The Times described him as "the most beautiful batsman of all time". An unwillingness to tour during the English winter limited Palairet's Test appearances; contemporaries believed he deserved more Test caps.
Palairet n about 1895
Palairet, pictured in Cricket of Today and Yesterday in 1902
Palairet caricatured by Spy for Vanity Fair, 1903
Palairet's cover drive was featured in The Jubilee Book of Cricket.
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Somerset. Founded in 1875, Somerset was initially regarded as a minor county until official first-class status was acquired in 1895. Somerset has competed in the County Championship since 1891 and has subsequently played in every top-level domestic cricket competition in England. The club's limited overs team was formerly named the Somerset Sabres, but is now known only as Somerset.
One of the earliest cricket matches played in Somerset was in memory of Frederick, Prince of Wales
Somerset CCC 1892
Somerset opening batsmen Matthew Wood and Marcus Trescothick walking out to meet Gloucestershire CCC, 27 June 2007