When the office at Somerset County Cricket Club reopens after the Christmas break a familiar face will be missing.

Dick Watts,who has been cashier at the club for over twenty years is retiring, "So that I can give more time to playing billiards," he told me as he sat at his desk in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion on his last working before the break.

Dick is well known on the local sporting scene, but not because of cricket, but because he is a billiards champion, and has played the sport that is dearest to his heart for his county and for his country.

Dick, who will become an octogenarian in October joined Somerset County Cricket Club after retiring from his job in Taunton with local finance company Chartered Life.

His wife Bet, who he met whilst he was in the R.A.F. also worked for the same company and the couple have been married for over fifty four years. "Bet travels with me everywhere I go to play billiards, she's my number one fan," he told me.

Dick plays his billiards in Taunton at the Railway Club where he has been a member for more than fifty years.

"Since I've been with the Somerset my billiards have dropped off. Now that I will have more time I hope that I can concentrate on my game and win some more trophies," Dick told me.

"When I first became cashier at the club Ian Botham and Viv Richards were in their prime, so I was very pleased to see the team win a trophy in 2001, and hope that they will win some more next season," he said.

But Dick isn't leaving the club alltogether. "I'll still be coming down to sell scorecards at home matches next season, and I hope that I can get to watch a bit more of the cricket than I could last year," he concluded.

© SOMERSET