Hatchett stakes his claim for a contract at Sussex (From The Argus)

Hatchett stakes his claim for a contract at Sussex

12:00pm Friday 30th July 2010 in Sport By Bruce Talbot

Lewis Hatchett has surely earned himself a Sussex contract after taking five wickets in only his second Championship game.

His team-mates, most of whom would not have played alongside him until his debut against Middlesex last week, have taken to calling him ‘The Hatchett Man’ and with good reason after a burst of four wickets in 11 balls wrecked Leicestershire’s lower order at Grace Road yesterday.

England selector Geoff Miller was among those to witness the 20-year-old from Upper Beeding take 5-47, the second-best figures by a Sussex seamer this season.

With Robin Martin-Jenkins following Jason Lewry into retirement and James Kirtley likely to follow them at the end of the season Sussex’s need for new seamers is acute. They have declared an interest in Ryan Sidebottom and Amjad Khan but at this rate Hatchett might save them a few bob.

He might have guessed it could be his day when he had Will Jefferson lbw with his first ball. After lunch he ran out Tom New with a direct hit from the covers but really came into his own when he switched to the pavilion end in the 58th over even though the breeze was not assisting his natural in-swing.

Claude Henderson was bowled by one such delivery and Nadeem Malik caught behind next ball as he prodded forward. Nathan Buck survived the hat-trick but in his next over Hatchett plucked out Wayne White’s off stump with another in-swinger before castling Matthew Hoggard to complete the fifth five-for by a Sussex bowler this season.

Hatchett said: “You can’t keep the smile off my face at the moment! I am so happy with how I played today.

“I was struggling down the hill and getting more frustrated. (Coach) Mark Robinson suggested I switched ends, I was strong at the crease and got some good rhythm and it was great to see the stumps flying. It is what I have worked so hard to get.

“I’m just going to keep playing as hard as I can and if I get a contract that will be lovely. But I’m not looking beyond when I bowl today to be honest.”