Former Somerset captain Tordoff dies

	Gerry Tordoff: stepped into the fray in 1955 © Cricinfo

Former Somerset captain Gerry Tordoff has died at the age of 78.

Tordoff was a talented amateur sportsman who won Blues at football (1951-52) and cricket (1952) for Cambridge. As a left-hand middle-order batsman he had already made his Somerset debut, and after playing for the after coming down from university in 1952 he joined the Royal Navy and thereafter his appearances were limited. He turned out regularly for Combined Services and in 1954 hit the highest of his five first-class hundreds, 154, against the touring Pakistanis.

In 1955 Somerset, who had finished bottom of the Championship in the previous seasons, were in need of an amateur captain - they were still a year off accepting a professional in the role - and Tordoff was given a leave of absence by the navy to take up the challenge. He was unable to lift the county off the foot of the table, although their performances were improved. Personally, he made 1196 runs.

Hopes that he might continue were dashed when he was offered a commission and returned to the navy, and he did not appear for the county again, although he continued to play for Combined Services as well as Minor County cricket for Berkshire.

In 85 matches Tordoff made 3975 runs at 27.99 and took 40 wickets with his occasional seamers.