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

Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i Other matches 15 4 55 1 1-8 55.00 - Career (6b) 286.2 49 } 1434 32 4-50 44.81 - (8b) 46.3 2 1977 Another season passed with the frustration of a near miss as far as trophies were concerned, Essex being pushed into second place in the John Player one-day league by virtue of one less victory than Leicester who equalled them on points. Fletcher continued to get the best out of his side despite losing his main front line bowler a few weeks into the season and another on Test call. He played an innings against Middlesex on a poor Southend wicket which brought him a century, an innings described as masterful in concentration and technique. Fletcher also enjoyed a stand of 258 with Ken McEwan in which he played the anchor role, scoring 70. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 454. Essex v Derbyshire, Derby, May 4, 5, 6 (Match drawn) * b M.Hendrick 9 177 165 c R.W.Taylor b M.Hendrick 15 268-6d 134-3 455. Essex v Surrey, Kennington Oval, May 11, (12), (13) (Match drawn) * 65-6 456. Essex v Northamptonshire, Northampton, May 18, 19, 20 (Northamptonshire won by 59 runs) * c G.Sharp b J.C.J.Dye 3 91 178 not out 84 264† 236-8d 457. Essex v Nottinghamshire, Ilford, May 25, 26 (Essex won by six wickets) * c P.A.Todd b D.R.Doshi 60 222 237 b R.A.White 16 97-4 81 4 458. Essex v Lancashire, Ilford, May 28, 30, 31 (Match drawn) * c J.Lyon b P.G.Lee 47 258-8c - - - - 236-6c c J.Abrahams b J.Simmons 35 235-8d 1 0 9 0 220-6 1 459.$ Essex v Surrey, Chelmsford, June 4, 6, 7 (Essex won by 121 runs) * lbw b R.D.Jackman 103 303-5c† 286-8c 2 b R.P.Baker 88 255-5d† 151 1 460. Essex v Australians, Chelmsford, June 11, 12, 13 (Match drawn) * not out 6 170-2d 274 not out 3 59-4 206-4d 461. Essex v Hampshire, Portsmouth, June 15, 16, 17 (Hampshire won by an innings and 29 runs) * c J.M.Rice b M.N.S.Taylor 29 113 292 c C.G.Greenidge b J.W.Southern 11 150 462.$ Essex v Leicestershire, Leicester, June 18, 20, 21 (Match drawn) * b K.Shuttleworth 13 53† 261 1 run out 46 424 170-7 463.$ Essex v Sussex, Chelmsford, June 25, 27, 28 (Match drawn) * c and b A.W.Greig 70 371-8d 263 297-8 464.$ Essex v Warwickshire, Edgbaston, July 2, 4, 5 (Essex won by 8 runs) * b E.E.Hemmings 1 371-9d - - - - 323-6d not out 40 308-2d 5 0 45 0 348 465. Essex v Gloucestershire, Southend-on-Sea, July 6, 7, 8 (Gloucestershire won by five wickets) * c M.D.Partridge b J.H.Shackleton 27 294-5c 333-6c b M.J.Procter 67 147† 109-5 2 466. Essex v Middlesex, Southend-on-Sea, July 9, 11, 12 (Match drawn) * c M.W.Gatting b M.W.W.Selvey 5 130 298 c J.E.Emburey b M.W.Gatting 103 354-8d† 181-8 467. Essex v Kent, Folkestone, July 20, 21, 22 (Kent won by one wicket) * b J.N.Shepherd 42 322-4c 289 43