Gerry and Mike Gauntlett at Old Brook v Brook match, May 1984
Gerry and Mike Gauntlett at Old Brook v Brook match, May 1984
Gerald Lyndley Cogger was born at Uckfield 07/09/33. He was on the staff at Sussex CCC, playing 8 first class matches (1954-57). He essayed to be a quick bowler, sacrificing tight line and length for speed and was a fine batsman making hundreds for the Club & Ground side. He was appointed Cricket Coach at King Edward's School, Witley in 1958 - replacing Bill Lander (who had been appointed to a similar post at Sherborne School, Dorset), and joined Brook and the Ramblers that summer.
By the time Gerry came to K.E.S, his bowling had moderated in pace to a brisk medium but gained immeasurably in accuracy. He could bowl throughout an innings - cutting a ball and putting it 'on a sixpence.' Good club batsmen found him difficult to score off, for he rarely bowled a loose ball. His batting - the carrying through of the bat and the studied execution of a shot - was a model for boys, particularly his cover driving. In the field he was like a piece of elastic, again a model in the way he swooped on the ball and in the same movement delivered it into the wicket-keeper's hands. He was, of course, a nimble runner between the wickets and his foot-work when batting indicated the the co-ordination of the real ball player. After all he had played a number of games of soccer for Sussex F.A., gaining county caps and for such clubs as Arundel F.C. in the Sussex County League!
Gerry's first match for the Ramblers was at Northlands Road, Southampton v. Hampshire Club & Ground on August 27th, 1958. He took the new ball with Richard Jefferson and in a tight first spell of right arm fast-medium off-cutters bowled 16 overs for 22 runs including 8 maidens and took 2 wickets. Batting middle order against the pace of "Butch" White and Alan Wassell's slow left arm guile he made 37.
His best bowling figures in a single innings came in a 12-aside match against Midhurst at Brook on Sunday, 18th September 1960. He bowled 16 overs unchanged up the hill taking 9-19. This broke Hugh Molenaar's previous best (9-21 v Walton-on -Thames 1948) and remained the best return until 1965.
Another notable game in 1960 was that against Sandu CC - a side on tour from Birmingham raised by Reg Perks, the former Worcestershire and England fast bowler which included Shirley Griffiths, the Barbados fast bowler who had played for Warwickshire (1956-58, 27 matches). The game was played in glorious weather at Brook but Ramblers, batting first, were soon in trouble at 49-5 against Griffiths - from the hill end - and Perks. Cogger made 20 as they struggled to 108 all out in 2 minutes under 2 hours.
Cogger bowled the first over in the Sandu innings in which he suffered a boundary overthrow off the second ball but secured wickets with the fifth and sixth. In all he had 8 overs and returned figures 7-29 (all clean bowled) with one maiden. Sandu were despatched for 47.
In 1961 he made his highest score for the Ramblers - 91 not out v Wiltshire Moonrakers at Brook on Wednesday, July 19th. Batting 4 he reached his fifty in 42 minutes and was not out on 91 at the declaration. He hit 12 fours and 4 sixes. He played 10 matches this season and took 28 wickets at 14.85.
The Ramblers saw the best of Gerry Cogger during the next 3 seasons.
He scored 521 runs @ 32.56 and took 72 wickets @ 19.05 in 1962 when he played 23 matches. He scored 6 fifties and took 5 wickets or more in an innings 8 times. It is the only time a Rambler has passed 500 runs and taken 50 wickets in a season.
In 1963 Gerry played in 26 matches and took 89 wickets. He secured 5 wickets or more in an innings 6 times. This included 2 hat tricks in an innings against Martin Crossley's XI at R.A.F Heritage's ground, Berkshire at the start of the Club's Midlands' tour.
In 1964 he played 31 matches and became the first Rambler to secure 100 wickets in a season, finishing with 115 at 10.93. He took 5 wickets on 10 occasions - the best 9-74 against R.N.V.R at Brook; scored two fifties and held 9 catches.
Thereafter Gerry's involvement with the Ramblers gradually reduced although he still turned in fifties and 'five-fors' as late as 1974. He played his last match in 1976.
After leaving K.E.S, he joined APV Ltd., Crawley where he was groundsman/steward. He played for Sussex Over 50s XI for several years.
Gerry Cogger played 165 matches for the Ramblers; scored 2284 runs in 118 innings @ 24.04; bowled 2,359.3 overs-648 maidens-6,256 runs-509 wickets @ 12.29. He scored 13 fifties; took 5 wickets on 43 occasions and held 57 catches.
(Thanks to Bertie Mawer, Old Witleians Association - and sometime Rambler - for additional information. DMTG)
Ramblers v Storrington 1967. L-R: Don
Barnes, Gerry Cogger, Nic Harper, Lionel Wood, Mike Bacon, Peter Hodges and
Adrian Stephenson
Ramblers v Gentlemen of
Worcestershire at Kidderminster CC 1961. L-R: Gordon Batchelor, Gerry Cogger,
Leslie Etherington, (lady friend of AKW), Tony Wood