Richard Jefferson - November 2001

The Ramblings of an irregular Sydenhurst Rambler

Nearly twenty years (1955-1973) playing for the Ramblers is an impressive record - but one is brought down to earth when I own up to representing the club in fewer than 30 matches.

In my summer school holidays in the 1950s, Brook and the Ramblers were synonymous with me; many players turned out for Brook on Saturdays and the Ramblers on Sundays. I owe so much to the experience of playing matches for the two clubs in August and September, and helping my cricket development enormously. A number of us owe a great debt to Mike Gauntlett for his encouragement and help, and for giving us the opportunity.

I certainly played in one Ramblers side at the County Ground, Southampton against Hampshire Club and Ground-too young to really appreciate such a fixture, but amazing now to think that the Ramblers were there for many years ............on merit.

Well remembered are the Saturday night winter evenings in the early to middle 1960s when Sydenhurst Ramblers cricketers would meet up at the current late night hostelry and knock back Remy Martin cognac into the small hours.

Finally, to the 11th August 1972 on Mitcham Green - my penultimate match for the Ramblers. The Club batting record was broken (315-5).......in an afternoon game! The hugely delayed declaration ruined a game of cricket, and was a most un-Rambler-like episode.

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Richard secured a Blue at Cambridge and was capped by Surrey in 1964. He played for Gentlemen v Players in 1962 and subsequently represented the Minor Counties in 1969 when with Norfolk. He had several notable performances for the Ramblers:

6-12 v. Dunsfold 1955

8-46 v Cranleigh 1958

5-9 v Cormorants 1958

6-23 v Oddites 1958

8-51 v Haslemere 1962

134 v Mitcham at Mitcham in 1972 (5 sixes, 15 fours)