Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, all world class international cricketers of the highest order and all beneath one Luke Fletcher in the County Championship bowling rankings this season.
The Bulwell Bomber is top of the lot, of any bowler that has bowled more than three overs in the County Championship this summer, Fletch is best, an average of a wicket for every 11.97 runs.
In his five games played this season Fletcher has 31 wickets from his 163.4 overs bowled, a career best of 7 for 37 in the destruction of Worcestershire at the weekend came just a match after a career best of 6-24 against Champions Essex. A man on form playing for a team on form and top of County Championship Group One, now in his 33rd year a seasoned pro that we are all familiar with in the game, but a player that has had to fight every bit of the way to fulfil his dream, now in folklore of Nottinghamshire’s best after playing huge part in the clubs recent silver winning successes, but it wasn’t always plain sailing in the early days for a cricketer that once shown promise as a youngster, but was also on the heavy side to raise doubt that he could make it at all.
I remember watching Fletch playing local club cricket for Papplewick & Linby when as a teenager he would often run in ever-so slightly on the weighty side and bounce balls at batsmen’s heads over half his age and with more experience and attitude to be disgruntled by the way this chirpy boy was throwing leather at them. I went back a few years ago when he was actually playing against P&L for Hucknall on loan from Notts, his name by now all over the clubhouse board for best bowling figures and even highest runs scored, speaking to everybody he knew (which was everybody) with that cheeky smile, it seemed every comment of his followed by a joke would always make people laugh.
That infection and humility ‘Fletch’ has on folk, has easily rubbed off on those at Trent Bridge too, loaned out to Surrey and Derbyshire in 2015 & 2016 after spells in Australia and New Zealand, it wasn’t always clear that the 6ft6in bowler would make the cut with Notts, his likeability along with his will power and inner-strength, his grit and determination, not to be under-estimated, when Fletch has the bit between his teeth, there aren’t many better sights in English cricket. Seeing the potential in him at a young age despite being rough around the edges, Notts eventually offered him a contract worth it’s cause in 2014 and ever since the player has grown from strength to strength.
Some would say he’s now one of the best death bowlers in the white ball game, using the English conditions to his complete advantage, swinging in at a medium to fast pace, line and length always on point, with red ball he’s steadily improved over the summers to open Notts bowling attack, down the years he’s took big wickets, timely scalps, he’s been part of trophy winning teams in green and gold, and this year he’s arguably playing his best cricket than ever before.
Only Craig Overton with 36 wickets, Kyle Abbott 33 and Chris Rushworth 32, have more notches than Luke Fletcher on 31. Good company for a good player who is now rightfully regarded as one of the best in the business at County level. All doing so with a smile on his face too.
After Sunday’s remarkable win against Worcestershire, Fletch said “It’s right up there, I’ve had a few of those wins but when you beat a side in two days with a lot of weather around it’s a special feeling”.
On his own fabulous form recently, Fletch puts some of it down to the tweaks he’s made in the winter, and the help received off former England bowling coach Kevin Shine who’s now working with Nottinghamshire after 14 years with the ECB.
Fletch said “He’s a highly respected coach who’s worked a lot with England, he’s worked with all different types of bowlers for a long time, he understands bowlers, he knows how we feel, he knows how hard it is, and I’m probably not going to tell you the tweaks he’s done, but he’s definitely made a difference”.
The difference Shine has had on Notts bowling attack is finally coming to fruition as the side has taken 60 wickets in the last three games to win three in a row and top the table after waiting almost three years previously for a red ball win.
Next up for Fletch and Notts is a trip to Edgbaston and Warwickshire in Group One on Thursday, where a win could see Notts extend their lead even further at the top of the table as they aim to reach the finals of the Bob Willis Trophy which will be played at the end of the campaign in September. By then we could be even talking up Fletch as a potential Lords match winner…. More kudos for the Bulwell Bomber perhaps awaits.
*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).
*Main image @WisdenCricket Luke Fletcher with back to back career best figures.
