Hatchett aims to grasp his 1st XI opportunity

LEWIS Hatchett is aiming to keep his place in Sussex County Cricket Club’s team for the rest of the season after admitting his year has been “up and down” so far.
Lewis HatchettLewis Hatchett
Lewis Hatchett

The Upper Beeding-based 24-year-old had a difficult start to the year as he found himself out of the first XI.

However, in the last few weeks he has cemented his place in the County Championship side and in the T20 squad.

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On the season so far, Hatchett said: “It’s been an up and down start to the year for me.

“Obviously not starting in the side was tough-going but I knew if I kept doing the right things I could get in the side.

“After putting in the hard work and breaking in to the team, it’s really a great feeling. Now it is just a case of grasping the opportunity and continuing to play well.”

Sussex are fifth in the County Championship and seventh in the T20 South Group but Hatchett is hoping the county can be pushing for honours come the end of the year.

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He said: “We are just going to take each game as it comes and we want to do well in all forms of the game.

“Over the past few weeks, we have had some good results in the T20 so, hopefully, we can push on in that.

“But we’ve also got the County Championship, which is always tight and there is never much between those who win the division and the relegated sides.

“We also still have the 50-over matches to come, so it’s exciting.”

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Hatchett made his first appearance of the season in a four-run T20 defeat to Gloucestershire at Hove in June, when he returned figures of 0-32 from three overs.

He kept his place in the side for the County Championship Division 1 match with Yorkshire, at Arundel Castle, which was drawn. He scored 11 not out in a 68-run last wicket stand with Jon Lewis in Sussex’s first innings, before he bowled 27 overs and returned figures of 0-102.

An impressive performance followed in Sussex’s 35-run T20 victory against Kent at Canterbury when he took 2-20 from three overs.

Hatchett continued to impress in his next appearance as he picked up 5-113 and 1-75 in Sussex’s 309-run County Championship defeat away to Durham.

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He claimed career-best T20 bowling figures of 3-23 from 3.5 overs in Sussex’s six-wicket win against Middlesex.

He then took 1-42 from three overs when Sussex lost to Gloucestershire by 13 runs in the T20 competiton on Friday evening.

Hatchett was again in action for Sussex this week in their innings and 85-run win against Northamptonshire. Hatchett took 1-24 and 1-55 as Northants were all out for 116, then 204.

Hatchett hopes that his individual form will help the side and added: “From a personal point of view, I just want to keep working hard for the side and doing the right things.

“Hopefully, that way I can keep my place in the side and we can do well in all forms.”