Stragglers of Asia CC

Stragglers of Asia – 149  Patrick Goodwin 4 – 28, Josh Burrows 4 – 32

Sussex Martlets 150 – 3  Stuart Ritchie 43, Henry Gane 39

Fletching’s bucolic setting and its somewhat low, slow pitch characterised the nature of the game which provided, in the end, a resounding Martlets’ victory played out at a fairly gentle pace. Skippering the Martlets, Patrick Goodwin inserted the opposition who quickly lost wickets to a good seam attack finding their lengths effectively to make use of the helpful bowling track. A rally before lunch, however, saw the visitors improve their stock to 130-5, Hamilton scoring a powerful 57, they having been 53-4.

The Griffin Inn provided its usual distractions over a leisurely lunch which had the effect of invigorating the Martlets’ attack! In the immediate overs after lunch, Patrick Goodwin and Josh Burrows tore through the visitors’ remaining batting taking 5 wickets between them for the addition of only 19 runs and restricting the Stragglers’ total to 149. Josh ended up with 4-32 off 10 overs and Patrick with 4-28 also off 10 overs; both had good support from Charles Davies and Nathanial Wright who formed the seam quartet supported by some accurate off-spin from Henry Gane.

Despite a lowish total to chase, the measure of the match became clear as the Martlets, facing an accurate Stragglers’ opening seam attack, quickly lost both of the opening batters with only 5 runs on the board. However Merlin Swire and Stuart Ritchie came together and despite a tentative start, they built their innings carefully and added 84 for the third wicket before Stuart was eventually caught for a battling and often powerful 43. Henry Gane, 39, batted solidly in support of Merlin who ended with an increasingly fluent, unbeaten 59 and the two together took the Martlets across the line, winning by 7 wickets.

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