Luke Fletcher
{{short description|English cricketer (born 1988)}}
{{for|the Welsh politician|Luke Fletcher (politician)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Luke Fletcher
| image = 3 09 Luke Fletcher.jpg
|caption = Fletcher in 2019
| country = England
| fullname = Luke Jack Fletcher
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|9|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
| heightft = 6
| heightinch = 6
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm medium-fast
| role =
| club1 = Nottinghamshire
| year1 = {{nowrap|2008–2024}}
| clubnumber1 = 19
| club2 = Wellington
| year2 = 2014/15
| club3 = → Surrey (on loan)
| year3 = 2015
| club4 = → Derbyshire (on loan)
| year4 = 2016
| club5 = Welsh Fire
| year5 = 2021
| club6 = Trent Rockets
| year6 = 2022
| type1 = FC
| debutdate1 = 23 April
| debutyear1 = 2008
| debutfor1 = Nottinghamshire
| debutagainst1 = Oxford UCCE
| type2 = LA
| debutdate2 = 4 May
| debutyear2 = 2008
| debutfor2 = Nottinghamshire
| debutagainst2 = Northamptonshire
| columns = 3
| column1 = FC
| matches1 = 150
| runs1 = 2,370
| bat avg1 = 13.77
| 100s/50s1 = 0/7
| top score1 = 92
| deliveries1 = 24,987
| wickets1 = 456
| bowl avg1 = 26.23
| fivefor1 = 10
| tenfor1 = 1
| best bowling1 = 7/37
| catches/stumpings1 = 31/–
| column2 = LA
| matches2 = 85
| runs2 = 513
| bat avg2 = 19.00
| 100s/50s2 = 0/1
| top score2 = 53*
| deliveries2 = 3,509
| wickets2 = 93
| bowl avg2 = 35.26
| fivefor2 = 1
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 5/56
| catches/stumpings2 = 13/–
| column3 = T20
| matches3 = 109
| runs3 = 185
| bat avg3 = 6.85
| 100s/50s3 = 0/0
| top score3 = 27
| deliveries3 = 2,163
| wickets3 = 120
| bowl avg3 = 25.46
| fivefor3 = 2
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 5/32
| catches/stumpings3 = 12/–
| date = 29 September
| year = 2024
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/297592.html ESPNcricinfo
}}
Luke Jack Fletcher (born 18 September 1988) is an English cricketer who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm medium-fast. He played for Nottinghamshire from 2008 until 2024, with loan spells at Derbyshire and Surrey. In franchise cricket, he has played for Wellington Firebirds and Welsh Fire. Fletcher was voted the County Championship Player of the Year in 2021.
Biography
Fletcher was born in Nottingham and was educated at the Henry Mellish School in the city.{{cite news|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/pictures/Archive-pictures-Henry-Mellish-School-gallery/pictures-26312821-detail/pictures.html|title=Archive pictures of Henry Mellish School - gallery|work=Nottingham Post|date=10 April 2015|accessdate=18 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413014849/http://www.nottinghampost.com/pictures/Archive-pictures-Henry-Mellish-School-gallery/pictures-26312821-detail/pictures.html|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead}} He played local cricket for Papplewick and Linby in the Nottinghamshire Premier League before signing for Nottinghamshire.{{cite news|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWGLNB&req_dat=1054640702C8DBC0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F126CDB48827AD3A0|title=Papplewick hope to sign deFreitas|work=Nottingham Post|via=Newsbank|date=7 March 2009|accessdate=14 March 2024}}
Fletcher made his first-class debut for Nottinghamshire against Oxford University in 2008. His County Championship debut came in 2009 against Lancashire. Since his debut, he has played 130 first-class matches,{{cite web|title=First-Class Matches played by Luke Fletcher (130)|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/First-Class_Matches.html|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=28 September 2021}} 123 for Nottinghamshire, four for Derbyshire, and three for Surrey. In his 130 first-class matches to date he has scored 2,169 runs at a batting average of 13.72, with fives half centuries and a high score of 92.{{cite web|title=First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Luke Fletcher|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/f_Batting_by_Team.html|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=28 September 2021}} With the ball he has taken 409 wickets at a bowling average of 26.00, with best figures of 7/37.{{cite web|title=First-class Bowling For Each Team by Luke Fletcher|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/f_Bowling_by_Team.html|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=28 September 2021}}
His List-A debut for the county also came in the 2008 season, against Northamptonshire in the 2008 Friends Provident Trophy. Since his debut, he has represented the county in 79 List-A matches.{{cite web|title=A Matches played by Luke Fletcher (54)|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/List_A_Matches.html|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=28 September 2021}} In his 79 List-A matches to date he has scored 505 runs at an average of 20.20, with a high score of 53*.{{cite web|title=List A Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Luke Fletcher|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/a_Batting_by_Team.html|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=28 September 2021}} With the ball he has taken 87 wickets at an average of 35.25, with best figures of 5/56.{{cite web|title=List A Bowling For Each Team by Luke Fletcher|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/a_Bowling_by_Team.html|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=28 September 2021}}
During the 2009 season, he made his debut in Twenty20 cricket for Nottinghamshire, which came against Durham in the 2009 Twenty20 Cup. From 2009 to present, he has represented Nottinghamshire and Wellington Firebirds in 43 Twenty20 matches.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/Twenty20_Matches.html|title=Twenty20 Matches played by Luke Fletcher (54)|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=18 December 2016}} In his 43 Twenty20 matches to date he has taken 58 wickets at an average of 22.68, with best figures of 4/30.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/119/119859/tt_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=Twenty20 Bowling For Each Team by Luke Fletcher|work=cricketarchive.com|accessdate=18 December 2016}}
Fletcher played for Wellington Firebirds as a Twenty20 specialist in the inaugural Georgie Pie Super Smash during the 2014–15 season,{{cite news|last1=Dickinson|first1=Bryan|title=Luke Fletcher joins Firebirds for Twenty20 competition|url=http://www.cricketwellington.co.nz/luke-fletcher-joins-firebirds-for-twenty20-competition/|accessdate=28 April 2016|publisher=Cricket Wellington|date=22 September 2014}} but his spell in New Zealand was cut short due to injury.{{cite news|title=Injury forces Luke Fletcher to leave Wellington Firebirds|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/Injury-forces-Luke-Fletcher-leave-Wellington/story-24674635-detail/story.html|accessdate=28 April 2016|work=Nottingham Post|date=25 November 2014}}
In April 2016, Fletcher joined Derbyshire on a month's loan. He previously had a loan spell with Surrey during 2015.{{cite news|title=Luke Fletcher: Derbyshire sign Nottinghamshire bowler on loan
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36042673|accessdate=27 April 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=15 April 2016}}
In July 2017, Fletcher was hit in the head by a shot from Birmingham Bears batsman Sam Hain while bowling in a NatWest T20 Blast match. He was taken to hospital with concussion.{{cite news|title=Luke Fletcher: Play suspended as Nottinghamshire bowler suffers head injury
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40545253|accessdate=9 July 2017|work=BBC Sport|date=9 July 2017}} Fletcher received stitches for the injury and missed the remainder of the season. He returned to training in November. The incident led to the ECB providing more funding for medical support at county level, including second-team matches.{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/luke-fletcher-head-injury-leads-to-increased-medical-presence-1144273 |title=Fletcher head injury leads to increased medical presence |first=Paul |last=Bolton |website=ESPNcricinfo |date=24 April 2018 |accessdate=28 September 2021}}
In 2021 Fletcher took 66 wickets in the first class season, and was voted PCA most valuable player.{{Cite web|last=Clark|first=Peter|date=2021-09-24|title=Fletcher is Championship Player of the Year|url=https://www.thepca.co.uk/press-release/fletcher-is-championship-player-of-the-year/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=The PCA|language=en-US}} When The Hundred launched in 2021, Fletcher was recruited as a replacement for the injured Jake Ball at Welsh Fire.{{Cite web|last=Roller|first=Matt|date=5 August 2021|title=Jake Ball ruled out of Hundred by injury, Welsh Fire call up Luke Fletcher|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/men-s-hundred-2021-jake-ball-ruled-out-of-hundred-by-injury-welsh-fire-call-up-luke-fletcher-1272302|access-date=2021-09-28|website=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}} In April 2022, he was bought by the Trent Rockets for the 2022 season of The Hundred.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60477088 |title=The Hundred 2022: latest squads as Draft picks revealed |work=BBC Sport |date=22 February 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022}}
On 16 September 2024, it was announced that Fletcher would leave Nottinghamshire at the end of the season after 17 years at the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2024/september/fletcher-to-depart-trent-bridge-after-revered-17-year-spell.html|title=FLETCHER TO DEPART TRENT BRIDGE AFTER REVERED 17-YEAR SPELL|publisher=Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club|accessdate=16 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c9dyynj1v6po|title=Seamer Fletcher to leave Notts after 17 years|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=16 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/luke-fletcher-nottinghamshire-s-stalwart-seamer-to-leave-club-at-end-of-season-1451220|title=Luke Fletcher, Nottinghamshire's stalwart seamer, to leave club at end of season|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|accessdate=16 September 2024}}
In February 2025, Fletcher joined the coaching team at The Blaze.{{cite web|url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2025/february/fletcher-joins-the-blaze-coaching-team.html|title=FLETCHER JOINS THE BLAZE COACHING TEAM|publisher=Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club|accessdate=26 February 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Cite book |last=Fletcher |first=Luke |title=Tales from the front line |date=2020 |isbn=978-1-78531-798-9 |location=Durrington |publisher=Pitch Publishing |oclc=1224541715}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=297592}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Luke}}
Category:Cricketers from Nottingham
Category:Nottinghamshire cricketers
Category:Derbyshire cricketers
Category:Wellington cricketers