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

1983 Fletcher led Essex to their second championship success in five years after a disappointing defeat by four runs in the Benson and Hedges final. He contributed with the bat in his usual fashion passing 1000 runs for the nineteenth time. At Chelmsford, at the end of May, he scored an elegant and controlled century, having been put into bat after the opening day was rained off. Essex then bowled Surrey out for 14, in 14.3 overs. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 602. Essex v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, April 27, 28, 29 (Match drawn) * c P.G.P..Roebuck b T.A.Cotterell 34 375-4d 165 b T.A.Cotterell 17 278-7d 93-4 603. Essex v Middlesex, Lord’s, April 30, May (2), (3) (Match drawn) * c R.O.Butcher b J.E.Emburey 37 160-2 604.$ Essex v Glamorgan, Cardiff, May 4, 5, 6 (Match drawn) * not out 151 325-6d† 255-5d 1 605. Essex v Kent, Chelmsford, May 11, (12), 13 (Kent won by six wickets) * b G.R.Dilley 55 320 forfeited forfeited 321-4 606. Essex v Leicestershire, Leicester, May 25, 26, 27 (Leicester won by four wickets) * c J.C.Balderstone b A.M.E.Roberts 15 283 300-3d c D.I.Gower b N.G.B.Cook 25 230 214-6 607. Essex v Surrey, Chelmsford, May (28), 30 31, (Match drawn) * c M.A.Lynch b G.Monkhouse 110 287† 14 185-2 608.$ Essex v Somerset, Taunton, June 4, 6, 7 (Essex won by 141 runs) * lbw b N.F.M.Popplewell 46 262 250-7d lbw b C.H.Dredge 12 242-9d 113 609.$ Essex v Nottinghamshire, Chelmsford, June 8, 9, 10 (Essex won by eight wickets) * b K.E.Cooper 76 351 171 2 not out 16 104-2 278 1 610. Essex v Kent, Tunbridge Wells, June 11, 13, 14 (Match Drawn) * c A.P.E.Knott b R.M.Ellison 0 285 287 1 did not bat - 54-2 289-5d 611. Essex v Derbyshire, Derby, June 15, 16 (Essex won by an innings and 25 runs) * lbw b S.Oldham 7 360-9d 92 243 612. Essex v Northamptonshire, Ilford, June 22, 23, 24 (Essex won by an innings and 51 runs) * c G.Cook b B.J.Griffiths 33 329 197 1 81 613.$ Essex v Sussex, Ilford, June 25, 27 (Essex won by nine wickets) * lbw b D.A.Reeve 79 281† 100 1 did not bat - 69-1 249 614. Essex v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge, July 2, 4, 5 (Essex won by 201 runs) * c B.N.French b K.E.Cooper 5 211 123 2 c B.N.French b K.Saxelby 39 285-3d 172 615. Essex v Warwickshire, Nuneaton, July 9, 11, 12 (Warwickshire won by ten wickets) * c D.L.Amiss b R.G.D.Willis 0 110 - - - - 379-9d c D.L.Amiss b A.M.Ferreira 62 301 1 0 5 0 36-0 616. Essex v Hampshire, Southend-on-Sea, July 13, 14, 15 (Hampshire won by four wickets) * c N.E.J.Pocock b T.M.Tremlett 39 202 136 b M.D.Marshall 12 340-6d 410-6 617. Essex v Glamorgan, Southend-on-Sea, July 16, 18, 19 (Essex won by an innings and 3 runs) * c H.Morris b M.W.W.Selvey 8 359 - - - - 116 1 0 10 0 240 54