Brian Rose, the England left-hander who is best remembered for leading Somerset to their first silverware, the Gillette Cup and the John Player League in 1979, the beginning of a golden age for them. In the same year he courted controversy by declaring Somerset's innings in a Benson & Hedges Cup match after one over, so as to take advantage of a technicality. It didn't do him much good: he was vilified and Somerset were thrown out of the competition. Rose played nine Tests, and stood up well to the West Indies in 1980, when he made 243 runs at 48.60. He didn't lack courage, and on his day was an attractive batsman. But he struggled in West Indies in 1980-81, returning home early with an eye defect, and thereafter batted in glasses. In his later years he combined his cricket with teaching.
Rob Smyth