In 1883, Somerset County Cricket Club played their second season of first-class cricket. They were captained by Stephen Newton, and played in seven matches, six against county opposition, and one against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). They won only one of their seven contests, that against Hampshire at Taunton. Of the remaining matches, the one against the MCC was drawn, and the other five were all losses for Somerset.
Although Somerset's matches in 1883 are considered by modern consensus to hold first-class status, at the time they were held by many publications to only be a second-class side. The quality of the team was limited by Somerset's tight finances, which meant they struggled to hire good professional players, and team selection was often based on social status or boasts, rather than demonstrated ability. The team's bowling was particularly criticised, while their batting received faint praise. Against Gloucestershire, Ted Sainsbury scored the first century for Somerset in first-class cricket, and Francis Terry scored the second in Somerset's last match of the season, against Hampshire.
Background
Somerset County Cricket Club (often referred to in 19th-century news reports as Somersetshire) was formed in 1875, and played irregular county fixtures in the years after that, during which time they struggled to remain financially solvent. Upon their formation, the club had no fixed home ground, and it was declared that they would play "on any ground in the county that may be selected by the committee." However, in 1881, they moved into the newly built Athletic Grounds in Taunton. Although Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, which most modern statistics are based upon, placed Somerset's debut first-class match in 1882, some records do include earlier matches in 1879 and 1881 against Gloucestershire as being of first-class status. Partly due to the lack of availability of some of their best players, Wisden described their inaugural 1882 campaign, during which Somerset lost six of their eight fixtures, as "a disastrous season".
The status of Somerset as a first-class county in 1883 was still ambiguous in the contemporary press; while The Sportsman and Wisden included them amongst the first-class statistics, other publications such as Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game and The Pall Mall Gazette did not. The season summary provided by The Manchester Guardian included "an expression of surprise that Somerset and Hampshire should be included in the list of first-class counties", while The Daily Telegraph suggested that Somerset needed to improve their performances if they wanted to be considered a first-class side.
Squad
In their seven first-class matches in 1883, Somerset fielded 20 different players. In his history of Somerset cricket, David Foot said that selection during this period "was inclined to be determined with a nod and a wink over drinks". Foot said that it was common for new players to be included based on exaggerated tales of their abilities, rather than any due diligence taking place. Somerset relied heavily upon amateur players, and this often meant that some of their better cricketers were not always available for games due to their commitments outside the sport. Only two players appeared in all seven fixtures: Edward Bastard and Arnold Fothergill, the latter of whom was one of three professionals to play for Somerset in 1883. Somerset's ability to recruit good professionals was limited by two key factors; their finances and local availability. Throughout their early existence, Somerset struggled financially, and professional players cost considerably more than amateurs, the latter of whom were only allowed to claim expenses.
The following players made at least one appearance for Somerset in first-class cricket in 1883. Age given is at the start of Somerset's first match of the season (30 July 1883).