Fletching Cricket Club

Sunday 6^th July

Fletching 141

Cuckfield 35

After Ben (45) and Hector (15) had crafted on a total of 62 runs for the first pair, it was looking good for the Falcons. Good batting kept the number of wickets low (only 3 catches and no run outs!) with Arthur (19) and Charlie R (10) finishing the innings, leaving Cuckfield with a daunting total of 141.

Bowling was tight and fielding keen despite the ever increasing rainfall. Only 4 over throws - another Falcons record! A total of 12 wickets credited to Arthur (3) and Hector, Jack, William (2) but 33 wides and 9 no balls leaves room for improvement. Cuckfield were kept to a total of 35.

A good TEAM result.

Sunday 29^th June

Fletching 91

Lindfield A 51

Fletching batted first, posting a total of 111 after conceding 4 wickets. Highest individual score was Archie (19) but each pair contributed at least 10 runs with good partnerhips from Charlie H/Alex and Arthur/Charlie R contributing 18 runs each, setting Lindfield a target of 91.

The Falcons took a total of 11 wickets (Archie 4, William and Sam 2) and although conceded 30 wides and 5 no balls, kept Lindfield to a total of 51.

This riveting contest ended with a scrambled Rye single off the last ball, leaving the scores tied but the result as a draw.

Rye had earlier won the toss and invited Fletching to bat. Dan Saunders 20 and Mark Horscroft 19 got Fletching off to a slow but steady start.  It was Martin Blincow with 3-43 and Mark Cook 1-31 who made the intial inroads as Fletching reached 97-4 off 30 overs. Fletching then responded through Grant Horscroft 70 and Matt Lucas 28 who shared a hard hitting partnership of 70 runs. The introduction of Gary Willis 2-50 and Felix Nelson 2-39 removed both of them and chipped away at the Fletching lower order. Fletching however managed a respectable 192-8.

Rye began cautiously after losing Fran Briley early on, but then began to accelerate as James Hamilton 46 and Mark Cook 65 shared a 78 run partnership but both fell in similar circumstances…Mark Horscroft swooping to claim two great catches on the boundary.

With Rye needing 100 runs for victory off 15 overs, Fletching’s Dan Saunders took centre stage,  removing the middle order with 5-34. The game came down to requiring 12 off the last two overs with 3 wickets in hand. Off the penultimate over squeezed out 8 runs. 4 off the last over, but Sam Newman dismissed Gary Osborn 19 and then dismissed Nelson. With two for victory off two balls Rye ran a leg bye but a dead ball was called, no run. A single was scrambled off the last ball, leaving the scores tied but the result as a draw.

Instead of the usual Thursday evening coaching session on 12th June Sussex County CC will be providing a “Roadshow”. There will be two Sussex professionals and five coaches. There will be games, competitions and photo opportunities.

The Under 11s have got off to a cracking start in the league this year with results as follows:

vs Ardingly    06.05.08 Fletching won by 210 runs (is this a record in Barrington rules?)

vs Ansty A     13.05.08 Fletching won by 133 runs

vs Ansty B      20.05.08 Fletching won by 44 runs

vs Newick      03.06.08 Fletching won by 77 runs

Our next game is vs Haywards Heath next Tuesday 10.06 at 6pm at Fletching - come along and see these talented lads in action.

DP