MARY Elworthy, a well known face on the local cricketing scene, was elected as the new president of the West Somerset Cricket League at the annual meeting at Brompton Ralph CC.

Mary, who now lives at Fitzhead, hails from Huish Champflower where her father was the captain of the village team and started scoring for the club back in the 1960s, a job she continued with until 2010, since when she has continued as treasurer.

In the WSCL inaugural season back in 1976 Mary was the first secretary, a post she held for

21 years and more recently she has been heavily involved in organizing the League’s annual dinner at the County Ground in Taunton.

After her appointment the newly elected president said: “It’s a really great honour to be appointed as the new president of the West Somerset Cricket League.

“Everybody is so friendly and enjoys their cricket and after 40 years the league is still going strong.”

Bob Bowyer, the chairman of the WSCL, a post he has held for the past 16 years , said: “ I have known Mary for more than 25 years and she was one of the founders of the league when it was set up in the winter of 1975.

“When I took over as vice-chairman of the league Mary was then the secretary. Since then we have remained good friends.

He explained how Mary Elworthy came to be elected.

“Earlier in the year when John Green decided to retire as president, the committee met and it was a unanimous decision. So many people said that the only person to ask was Mary as she has had so much to do with the league over the years, so that is what we did and we are very grateful that she has accepted.”

The chairman added: “Luckily the West Somerset League remains as strong as ever and for 2017 we have 50 teams playing next season so we have got a full complement with one waiting which is good.”

In addition to her involvement with the West Somerset League, Mary Elworthy is also an honorary life member of Somerset CCC and secretary of the Taunton Area committee.