Cidermen's final at Lord's will be Ken Palmer's last duty at headquarters

Acting as third umpire in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy Final tomorrow will be the final official duty that Ken Palmer performs at Lord's before he retires from the first class list at the end if this season.

Ken, who was born in Southampton and brought up in Devizes played for Somerset between 1955 and 1969 and was an all rounder with a considerable pedigree. During his years with the Cidermen he made over 300 first class appearances, scoring over 7500 runs at 20.73 and taking 837 wickets at a cost of 21.11 each.

In 1961 he became the first player since the second world war and the youngest Somerset player ever to achieve the much coveted double when he scored 1036 runs and took well over 100 wickets.

Thirty five years ago Ken played for Somerset in their first ever Lords final against Kent in the Gillette Cup.

Recalling that occasion he told me: "It was a great achievement for us to get to the final, and a special day that I will always remember. There was a wonderful atmosphere on the day, with bales of straw and the cider barrels. We even had Adge Cutler and the Wurzels playing."

He continued: "It's a pity that we didn't win, but that day is something that I have very special memories of."

After retiring from the game Ken joined the first class umpires list in 1972, and since then has stood in 22 Test matches and gained a reputation for being one of the best on the circuit.

Sadly now it all has to end because he celebrated his sixty fifth birthday back at the start of the season. Ken told me: "After I finished the match between Middlesex and Derby at Lords last weekend someone came and told me it was a pity that I had to go. I told them that I'd like to go, but I have to retire because I'm sixty five!"

At the end of that last match Ken was made an honorary member of Middlesex County Cricket Club, and was given a guard of honour by the players of both teams when he left the field.

"They put my name up on the scoreboard and clapped me off as I left the field. I had quite a lump in my throat," he told me.

Out on the field the umpiring duties will be carried out by former Hampshire player John Holder and George Sharp who played for Northants.