Richard Jefferson, Surrey, Cambridge University and Minor Counties

Richard Ingleby Jefferson was born at Frimley 15/08/41 and brought up at Wormley Hill, near Brook. He and his brothers had early connections with the Brook club in the school holidays and Richard's first recorded game for the Ramblers was against Cormorants from Southsea at Brook on September 13th 1953 at the age of 12. He made 3 not out.

Richard went to Winchester and played 4 years in the 1st XI (1957-60), captaining in his final year. He played 13 matches for the Ramblers during this period, including 3 consecutive matches in 1959 when he returned the following bowling figures:

v. Cranleigh at Cranleigh         8-46

v. Cormorants at Brook             5-9

v. Oddites at Brook                    6-23

In 1960 he played 5 games and showed his abilities also with the bat scoring 53 v. Storrington and, two weeks later, 69 at Cranleigh.

The game against Haslemere at the Recreation Ground in May 1962 was one of his best for the Ramblers. In 19.4 overs, bowling unchanged (initially in partnership with Gerry Cogger),  he took the first seven wickets - 6 clean bowled - and finished with 8-51.

Richard turned out infrequently thereafter but in the 2 games in which he played in 1972, he left his mark. In May, at Liphook he scored 63 runs and then took 6-29 in 20 overs and in August on Mitcham Green in the home club's Cricket Week scored an impressive century. His first 50 came in 40 minutes against some normally useful bowling and one remembers that he used his considerable reach to drive many a ball on the up. His 134 included 15 fours and 5 sixes. Ramblers declared at 315-5 which became the highest total by the club since 1956 and remained so until the Stoics match 1995.

His last recorded game for the Ramblers was in 1977. He played in all 30 matches, scoring 715 runs at 34.1 and bowled 342.2 overs taking 80 wickets at 10.4 apiece.

Richard gained a Blue at Cambridge in 1961; played 76 matches for Surrey (1961-66) and thereafter for Norfolk, representing Minor Counties in 1969. His son Will joined Essex in 2000 and gained his cap in 2002.