28. George Jarrett Remembers...The Sherjan Brothers - Limpsfield's Bowling Stalwarts

Jim and Richard Sherjan found their love of cricket (and rugby) as public schoolboys at Stowe. Both played for the school cricket first XI, sometimes together despite their age gap, and Jim famously became skipper.

It was Jim who found Limpsfield cricket club first, and after accompanying his older brother a few times Richard joined the club a several years later. In their bowling styles they reflected their personalities – Jim being competitive in that he expected (and often deserved) a wicket with every high-class cherry he floated, wobbled and faded, and Richard being laid back and self-effacing, and unperturbed by his economy rate. He was an off spinner who just plugged away.

Both played for the second XI as it became a stronger, more capable league outfit under John Davies and then Malcolm Dunbar, but in 1978 Jim was one of 50 players who featured in the first eleven a few times. He bowled 85 overs and got his 17 wickets at 17.9. In 1977 he had bowled 101 overs for the seconds, getting 19 wickets at 10.57, and impressing everybody with his accuracy, and the many maiden overs he recorded.

Come 1981 and he was second in the second team bowling averages to Ted Rose, returning stats of 28 wickets at 11.64 from 140 overs. Jim was wonderful to watch, his slow medium teasers pushing batsman to test their defensive skills, and take risks. Catching one off his bowling was an honour, especially at slip, and he was fulsome in his praise of other bowlers who did well.

Richard got as many wickets as Jim but his run rate per over hovered at about 3.7 per over. The best of his years was possibly 1991 when he was joint top wicket taker: from his 158 overs his 27 wickets cost 21.76. Fielding for Richard was a joy and, if you dropped one or mis-fielded, he was far more forgiving than any other bowler.

I was proud to play with both Sherjans, first when I bowled medium pace off-cutters, and later with just Richard when I returned to off-spin. Both brothers are now in their early 80’s, keen on six-nation rugby TV coverage, and looking back on their love of cricket and golf. Like every bowler on the planet, they believed they should have been higher up the batting order.