Kenneth Ernest Palmer MBE (22 April 1937 – 23 July 2024) was an English cricketer and umpire, who played in one Test match in 1965, and umpired 22 Tests and 23 One Day Internationals from 1977 to 2001.[1] He was born in Winchester, Hampshire.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kenneth Ernest Palmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 April 1937 Winchester, Hampshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 23 July 2024 (aged 87) Taunton, Somerset, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Roy Palmer (brother) Gary Palmer (son) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Only Test (cap 427) | 12 February 1965 v South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1955–1969 | Somerset | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Umpiring information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tests umpired | 22 (1978–1994) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODIs umpired | 23 (1977–2001) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 15 October 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
editA reliable all-rounder for Somerset between 1955 and 1969, Palmer was a right-handed middle-order batsman and fast-medium bowler with a whippy action, whose best season was 1961, when he achieved the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets.
Palmer played one Test. Because of injuries to other bowlers (John Price, David Brown and Tom Cartwright), he was called up while coaching in Johannesburg to play in the fifth Test at Port Elizabeth, on the 1964-65 England tour of South Africa.[2]
Umpiring
editPalmer was appointed an umpire in 1972, and made his international debut in the England versus Pakistan Test in June 1978.
Recognition
editPalmer was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2003 New Year Honours for services to cricket.[3]
Personal life and death
editHis brother, Roy Palmer, also played for Somerset, and similarly became a first-class and Test match umpire. Ken's son Gary also played as an all-rounder for Somerset.
Palmer died of complications following a fall in Taunton, Somerset, on 23 July 2024, at the age of 87.[4][5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Ken Palmer". CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ "When Winston won it for Windies". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ "No. 56797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2002. p. 20.
- ^ "Tributes Paid After Somerset Cricket Legend Dies". Somerset Live. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Ken Palmer obituary: cricketer and umpire". The Times. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.