Fletching 2nd XI beat Newick 2nd XI
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.
Ken Newman said,
Wrote on May 12, 2008 @ 9:29 am
100 Club.
We have now sold 40 numbers, which isn’t to bad considering the vast majority are just from postal applications. We had the first draw on Saturday, which is the belated April draw, with a prize fund of £20. The first prize of £15 went to Mrs Anne Scott and the second prize of £5 went to George Gibson. The next draw will be the end of May where my target is 50 numbers. Thanks for your participation, regards Ken.