Newick CC | Sussex Martlets

Match Report

Sussex Martlets (225 for 5 in 40 overs; S Ritchie 63, J Montgomery 55) beat Newick CC (131 in 31.5 overs; H Cope 5-15) by 94 runs

The Martlets travelled to the picturesque Temple Grove ground for the annual afternoon fixture against Newick (well, nine of us did, but the Talbot family mistook it for an all-day game and had a long wait until their fellow Martlets arrived!)

On winning the toss skipper George Martin had no hesitation in batting, a decision he regretted upon returning to the dressing room to find that five of his top six were yet to arrive. Eventually Hassan Chabane and Jake Montgomery, the Australian overseas player, took to the crease and immediately got into their work, dispatching anything loose to the boundary.

The pair passed 50 in no time, but soon after Hassan was adjudged leg-before to a ball that didn’t really get up (something that was becoming increasingly frequent on the bone-dry pitch). This brought Martlets legend Stuart Ritchie to the crease and anything overpitched was savaged to, or over, the boundary at long-on or deep mid-wicket.

Montgomery was the next to go for a well made half century, which brought Simon Warrender in to join the chairman. Warrender patiently anchored the innings from this point onwards, and it wasn’t until a late flurry of wickets, including Ritchie for an excellent 63, that the Martlets looked in much trouble. Matt Tucker struck the ball well in a late cameo to take us to a competitive score of 225 for five from 40 overs.

After a splendid tea the Martlets took to the field to defend their total knowing that a strong spin attack would be tough to face on a wearing track. Young Felix Talbot opened from one end and was very unfortunate not to pick up a couple of wickets as the fielding, in typical Martlets fashion, let him down.

From the other end Henry Cope (7-3-15-5) made light work of the Newick top order, reducing them to 50 for three in no time. A brief partnership followed between C Patel (69) and M Sawyer to take the score past 100, but Cope returned, this time alongisde Montgomery, to devastate the middle and lower order in very little time at all. It was left to young Talbot to return and pick up the last two wickets to secure a Martlets victory as Newick were 131 all out.

A great day was had by all in the beautiful early summer weather, and a magnificent little ground.