Sir Viv Richards confirms his nostalgic return to the County Ground

On the eve of the launch of the new Twenty20 Cup competition that gets underway at the County Ground this evening when Somerset entertain Warwickshire the county have received some good news regarding one of their favourite adopted sons.

Sir Vivian Richards who would have been ideally suited to Twenty20 cricket has announced that he will definitely be a making a nostalgic return to play at the County Ground in Taunton at the age of fifty one when he appears for Lashings Cricket Club against his old county on July 21st.

Sir Viv, along with Ian Botham and Joel Garner made up the big three in the Glory Years of the late 1970's and early 1980's when the county won the Gillette Cup and the Bensons and Hedges Cup on two occasions and the John Player League once.

He played for Somerset between 1974 and 1986 and scored nearly 15000 runs at an average of just under 50 which included 322 against Warwickshire in 1985.

Chief executive Peter Anderson said yesterday "David Foalb the Lashings coach and managing director has confirmed that Viv Richards will definitely be appearing along with Richie Richardson and Jimmy Adams, which is great news."

The great man is also expected to officially open the new Sir Viv Richards Gates that are situated at the Priory Bridge entrance to the County Ground on that day.

Tickets for the match against Lashings Cricket Club that will be 45 overs per side and will get underway at 1pm are available from the club office, 01823 272 946.