Lewis Hatchett in Aus. (Page 2 of 4)

East Torrens 143 (Hatchett 18-5-37-3)
Southern Districts 2/51

Yeah. Its hard to judge but I would say the standard is about the same really. Not as many 'old pros' as maybe you might find in a 2nd team game, but not as many youngsters 'trying out' either. Sometimes you get the SA players back (yet often they don't do that well). You do get young kids playing in this grade, but only after they have worked their way up through 4 grades.

It's fairly intense and competetive as you would expect...Gatting and (Alex) Wakely have really struggled to score any runs (but that could be due to any number of reasons rather than simply standard).

Put it this way, if I was Robbo, I wouldn't be dismissing these performances.

My perceptions only (and I know it's hard to believe but I could be wrong  ) but after talking to Lewis at length last weekend, I got the impression that he thinks he is not a prominent target on the Sussex radar.

Steve, I think its a definite that some county (probably more than one) will give him a chance.

Seems odd, given how bear our own cupboard is.

I'm sure he will plenty of opportunities to show what he can do in 2XI. However, like Smith and Rayner, who took 39 and 51 wickets, he needs to take wickets for the second team.

Rollings  and Hatchett both went into the Academy at a very late stage. However, having joined the Academy at 17 Wells was offered a summer contract two years later.

Adkin and Thorpe are better prospects than Hatchett and Rollings however with the former pair at University for another two and three years 2010 is their chance to stake a claim for a contract.

I'm sure Sussex will keeping a close eye on how Adkin, Thorpe, Hatchett, Rollings, Wood and Endersby perform next season.

Last edited by Sharkey (18-01-2010 19:53:20)

Me taking the p!ss? not at all.Perhaps instead of cricketing icon I should have said senior citizen. Youngsters can become diffident in face of statesmen.

The old post was just to show the lad is not unknown and as an Academy member for two years I am sure his exploits are followed with interest .I presume he wouldnt have got into the Academy unless they are (were?)interested. Anyways you have actually met him and seen him play and I havent so we should  trust your judgement not mine, if we are disagreeing,which perhaps we are not.Maybe.

Last edited by triple century (18-01-2010 21:51:05)

I don't think we are disagreeing, I'm just saying that I don't think he is getting a lot of re-assurance from Sussex that he is a part of their plans. At least that's the impression I got from speaking to him.

He seems to be one of those bowlers who have a 'habit' of quietly picking up 3 fors. If I was Robbo, I wouldn't want him to be the 'fish that got away' so to speak.

I guess we'll see what happens when the pre-season games start.

That is what the second team is for! Pre-season games aren't really the place to be throwing in uncontracted players. These matches need to be used to ensure that 22 contracted Sussex players are fit and firing come the first match of the season.

Hatchett will get his chances in 2XI and for Development XI where with Adkin and Thorpe at University I suspect the bowling attack will be Hatchett, Rollings, Glover, Endersby and Parsons. Davies will be the keeper. Who will be the batsmen? Jones will be there but who else? I would like to see Kalidasan, Willway, Finch and Hudson-Prentice given a chance. 

It's up to him to step up and deliver on a consistent basis for 2XI and Development XI. With Adkin and Thorpe at University until 2012 and 2013 Hatchett and Rollings are fighting out with Aga and Liddle for two positions in the Sussex squad for 2011.

Last edited by Sharkey (19-01-2010 00:41:52)

I expect Lewis to be in Development XI team this season. Our strongest team on paper is:

Jones
Machan
Wells *
Davies (+)
Endersby
Adkin
Thorpe
Rollings
Hatchett
Parsons
Glover

Five are current Academy players, three finished in 2009 and three in 2008. Kalidasan, Willway, Finch, Hudson-Prentice, Chapman, Gould, Green, Johnson, Levene, Scott, Richards, Jackson, Sewell, Melboroh-Collinson, Guest, Marsh, Taylor, Bernadin and Rebbetts are likely to be selected.

Last edited by Sharkey (20-01-2010 18:15:17)

50 overs

West Torrens 237 (Hatchett 9-0-57-3)
Southern Districts 228 (Hatchett 10no)

More wickets and an average boost wit the bat!