Famous Cricketers No 93 - Keith Fletcher O.B.E.

419. Essex v Worcestershire, Chelmsford, August 30, September 1, 2 (Worcestershire won by 50 runs) * b V.A.Holder 18 217 233 1 c G.M.Turner b B.M.Brain 5 153 187 420. Essex v Somerset, Taunton, September 3, 4, 5 (Match drawn) * c D.J.S.Taylor b D.Breakwell 52 301-5d 297 st D.J.S.Taylor b D.B.Close 14 187-9 265-9d 421. Essex v Yorkshire, Middlesbrough, September 13, 15, 16 (Yorkshire won by 59 runs) * c D.L.Bairstow b C.M.Old 17 170 286 c D.L.Bairstow b P.Carrick 1 267 210-6d SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test matches 2 4 0 79 51 19.75 - 1 2 Championship 16 28 1 822 99 30.44 - 7 12 Other Essex match 1 1 1 24 24* - - - - Season 19 33 2 925 99 29.83 - 8 14 Career 421 710 97 23113 228* 37.70 39 131 391 1976 After a winter in which there was no tour it was clear that the rest had done Fletcher the world of good as he returned to the form of which he was so capable. Four centuries and eleven fifties in thirty six innings at an average of 54.75, found him back in the top ten of the national averages and top of the Essex batsmen in the County Championship. He scored a century in each innings in the match against Nottinghamshire at Nottingham and chipped in with two wickets from a twelve over spell. Overlooked for the five match series and the one-day internationals against the West Indies he led Essex to sixth in the county championship and they missed out on their first trophy when beaten in the John Player one-day league by mathematical calculation – 0.42 of a run. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 422.$ Essex v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, April 28, 29, 30 (Match drawn) * c P.M.Roebuck b M.E.Allbrook 58 367-6d - - - - 176 1 14 4 29 3 P.W.G.Parker c N.Smith 370 E.J.W.Jackson c G.A.Gooch P.J.Hayes c J.K.Lever 423. Essex v Yorkshire, Ilford, May 5, 6, 7 (Essex won by nine wickets) * c D.L.Bairstow b H.P.Cooper 61 324 113 1 did not bat - 18-1 228 1 424. Essex v Leicestershire, Leicester, May 12, 13, 14 (Match drawn) * b P.B.Clift 25 163 276-9d c J.C.Balderstone b P.B.Clift22 170-7 173-2d 425. Essex v Glamorgan, Swansea, May 19, (20), 21 (Match drawn) * did not bat - 28-1d 106-1d 92-3 426. Essex v Northamptonshire, Northampton, May (29), 31, June 1 (Match drawn) * c G.Sharp b D.S.Steele 20 300-9d 200-5d 27-1 427.$ Essex v Middlesex, Lord’s, June 2, 3, 4 (Middlesex won by six wickets) * c C.T.Radley b M.W.W.Selvey 39 127† 274 lbw b A.A.Jones 64 276 130-4 428. Essex v Hampshire, Chelmsford, June 5, 7, 8 (Essex won by nine wickets) * lbw b P.J.Sainsbury 52 302-6d - - - - 163 did not bat - 78-1 1 0 13 0 214 40