Fletching Cricket Club

Needing 7 runs to win from the final over Chris Hartup pinched the strike from stand in skipper Matt Fisk and completed a remarkable personal performance by smashing two boundaries to see Fletching defeat local rivals Newick with just one ball to spare.

On a sweltering afternoon, Chris Hartup (3 for 85), put in a gut wrenching performance bowling 17 overs up the hill. He then completed his personal demolition of Newick by crafting 79 unbeaten runs in an innings that was perfectly paced.

Fletching won the toss and invited Newick to bat. JJ Ticehurst (3 for 38) and Chris Hartup soon got amongst the wickets. Title chasing Newick stumbled to 91-6 but catches were dropped and this coupled with some big hitting from Mark Symonds (62) Newick were able to post a very competitive total of 197 all out from their 50 overs.

Despite the odd dropped catch Fletching put in an impressive fielding performance with Jake Naylor two superb catches. Chris Hartup plucked a sharp catch in the slips and a diving Matt Lee snaffled another at mid-wicket. However, in the stifling heat the over rate was slow and with Newick looking for maximum batting points Fletching went over time which meant that they lost crucial overs in which to reply.

Openers Trevor Brown (13) and Andy FitzGerald (26) made solid if unspectacular progress early on. When both fell with the score on 47 Fletching turned to JJ Ticehurst and Chris Hartup to stabilise the innings. JJ Ticehurst (34) took a liking to Newick’s prodigious off-spinner J.Waylett launching 3 sixes before the bowler gained revenge by clean bowling him. The injection in the scoring rate meant that with 20 overs to go Fletching needed to score at over 6 an over. When Andy Horscroft (18) fell with the score on 137, skipper Matt Fisk used his new found powers to promote Matt Lee and this proved a wise decision as Matt Lee ably supported Chris Hartup and together they added a quickfire 40 runs.

When Andy Eager Michael Cass fell without troubling the scorers Fletching looked in trouble, but Matt Fisk stepped in with the visitors needing 15 runs from the last two overs. In this penultimate over, Matt Fisk pinched the strike from Chris Hartup but redeemed himself in style by snatching a crucial boundary from the last ball of the over.

Needing 7 to win, Chris Hartup took a single off the first ball of the final over. Matt Fisk missed the next one, but managed to connect with the next and scampered through for a run. Crucially this brought Chris Hartup back on strike and he brought the scores level with an incredible straight lofted drive that nearly bounced once before disappearing into the hedgerow. Needing just one run with 2 balls to go Chris finished the job in style with a pull over square leg that raced to the boundary.

With one game to go, Fletching cemented 3rd place in the division by gaining maximum points.

Ed Hooper blasted a quick fire 89 and JJ Ticehurst took 5 for 14 as Fletching impressed again at home to Rottingdean.

Rottingdean won the toss and chose to field and soon had Fletching in trouble removing Andy FitzGerald (17), Trevor Brown (12), Andy Horscroft (3) and JJ Ticehurst (0). Chris Hartup (20) came in to partner Ed Hooper and with Ed once again demonstrating what a good eye he’s got for the ball played a selection of smouldering shots to bolster the home side’s total. Ed Hooper’s 89 came from just 64 balls and included 12 fours and 4 sixes.

Ed’s was the eighth wicket to fall with the score on 181 and the scorers weren’t troubled further as Fletching collapsed to 181 all out from 40 overs.

Determined to remain at the heart of the action Ed Hooper took the new ball and bowled aggressively and accuracately taking 2 for 27. With Chris Hartup also digging deep to produce figures of 2 for 18, Fletching soon bagan to plough through the Rottingdean top order. When JJ Ticehurst was brought into the attack Rottingdean were starting to look comfortable. JJ soon put an end to that with figures of 5 for 14 from 9 overs including 6 maidens. Four of JJ’s victims were clean bowled in what was JJ’s most impressive bowling performance for Fletching.

The match was wrapped up when Micheal Cass failed in his efforts to take a catch off the bowling of Matt Lee, but quickly retreived the ball and a terrific throw from long on smashed the stumps and left the Rottingdean batsmen floundering.

Fletching 181 all out beat Rottingdean 124 all out by 57 runs.

The first senior nets at Cumnor House School.

Brimming with confidence after triumphing convincingly in their previous two fixtures, Fletching 2nd’s ventured to table topping St Jacobeans hoping to put to the sword the threat of relegation. However, bad news was quickly forthcoming when it was announced that the spine of the team had been ripped out with six players being called up to the first team. This left captain Setters with only 9 men for this crucial encounter, and on the biggest ground of the season the omens were not good.

Fletching’s skipper won the toss and elected to field….and with Chris Hartup bounding in it wasn’t long before the first chance came. Unfortunately it fell to Matt Fisk who is dropping more catches than a practising juggler this year and once again Matt had to endure the destructive glare of a furious Chirs Hartup. Unfortunately for the visitors this was to be there only chance with the mightily impressive T.Chasseud ably supported by S.Barrs racing to 182 before Chasseud fell to Andy Grant for a wonderful 131. S.Barrs soon followed for 63 and St. Jacobeans took pity and declared at 222 for 3 after 37 overs.

In reply, Fletching didn’t stand much chance with such a depleted side. The only resistance came from Chris Hartup who came to the crease after just 4 overs and remained unbeaten with 74 obdurate runs. Chris was the only Fletching player to break into double figures, although credit must go to Andy Shanks, coming in last and sticking around to put on 41 runs with Chris to gain a single batting point.

Congratulations to St J M Jacobeans who won the game by 101 runs gaining enough points to confirm themselves as deserving division 5 champions. Fletching sneaked 4 points out of the game and these may prove crucial with just one game to go.