SOMERSET cricketing legend  Ken Palmer has passed away in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, at the age of 87.

After a long and successful playing career with Somerset, during which in 1961 at the age of 24 he became the youngest player to achieve the double of 1000 first class runs and 100 first class wickets, he then served as a first class umpire for 31 years  before retiring in recognition of which he was awarded the MBE for his services to cricket 

Ken was a classy right handed batter and a fast medium bowler, who was born in Winchester  on 22nd April, 1937, and grew up in Devizes where he made quite an impression on the local cricketing scene as a result of which he was invited to Hampshire for trials. 

However he was not offered terms and instead signed for Somerset and arrived at the County Ground, Taunton, in the spring of 1954 at the age of 16.

Ken made his first team debut against Middlesex at Bath in June  the following year in which he claimed two wickets in their first innings - Freddie Titmus and Don Bennett and was then dismissed twice himself by Titmus.

After that introduction between 1955 and 1969 he went onto play in 302 matches for the county, scoring 7567 runs at an average of 20.67 which included two centuries and a best of 125 not out against Northamptonshire in 1961, the year in which he topped 1000 runs for the only time.

With the ball Ken took 837 wickets at an average of 21.10 with his best return being nine for 57 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1963. He took 100 first class wickets in a season four times, his best being in 1963 when he claimed 126.

Ken was 12th man for England in 1963 and two years later when he was coaching out in South Africa in 1965 he got called up to play in the Fifth Test Match against South Africa at Port Elizabeth, which was to be his only appearance for his country.

After retiring from playing Ken became a first class umpire and went onto officiate in 22 Test Matches and 23 One Day Internationals.

In retirement Ken was a regular visitor to the Cooper Associates County Ground and made his last visit just a few weeks before his passing.