Seaford College

Martlets ‘Walker to victory’ in season opener…

With a cloudless sky welcoming the Martlets back to their spiritual home for the 2026 season, the hosts would certainly have been happier pre-match than their visitors, Seaford College, following an arranged toss a week before between Sussex cricketing legends, Chris ‘Grizzly’ Adams and Derek ‘Deggsy’ Horsham which lead to the College boys already knowing their fate for the morning’s play well ahead of time, fielding first.
And boy did the Martlets cash in.
Openers Sam Carter, and Harry Walker (now of Knaresborough CC in the North Yorkshire Prem) started things off well, putting on 52 inside 13 overs before the former fell for 14 (on top of a contribution of 7 leg byes), bowled by South African Fourie.
This brought Martlets returnee, Dan Smith, to the crease at 3. What happened next was a bludgeoning for the ages. Before lunch, the pair of Walker and Smith added another 103 to the score, striking the ball with incredible timing to all parts of the extensive Castle outfield, which proved to be nowhere near big enough. The question on everyone’s lips at tea was, ‘what score are you looking for here skip’. 260 was the answer provided, but unfortunately things don’t always go to plan, for better or for worse.
Not letting their flavoursome lamb roast put them off their stride, the pair continued to put the College boys to the sword. Harry Walker continued to go harder and harder, reaching his 100 from 131 balls, before adding another 62 from his next 37. Finishing on 162 from 168 deliveries, it truly was a Martlets innings for the ages, with power hitting that has set the tone for a successful Martlets season.
He was ably supported by Dan Smith, who traded equally huge blows, reaching his 100 from 103 balls, and offered the skipper some tough decisions being tantalising close to his century as the Martlets passed the desired 260 mark. Well batted Dan!
The pair had amassed a partnership of 247, the third biggest in Martlets PlayCricket history.
We finally declared on 299-1, leaving poor old Matt Ritchie padded up for 36.3 overs. To be fair to him, he entitled the innings ‘a great watch’.
Ritchie’s moment would come in just the second over of Seaford’s response. Fielding at short leg (helmet and all), to self-proclaimed ‘keeper up’ bowler Alex Foulds, Ritchie took the most insane reaction catch off the middle of the Seaford’s opener bat. Easily one of the finest catches the Castle has ever seen, and one of the first taken by an armpit.
This meant Seaford were on the backfoot from the off and when Old Seafordian Bisset nicked off the skipper, things were always going to be tough.
In fairness to the College though, they traded blows, and had reached 76-2 off just 14 overs at Tea.
After the break, this rose to 119-2, before Martlets ‘Chief Entertainer’ Ryan Trotter got Barran (54) to chase a wide spinning delivery which came thickly off the edge and right into the diving Sam Carter’s right hand at slip. As someone well experienced on the cricket circuit now at 26 years old, I truly believe Sam to be one of the best slip catchers in amateur cricket, and this was another special one.
Skipper Heater then took the unmissable opportunity to bowl at a new batsman with open arms, and took his chance making breakthrough number 4.
Ritchie was then brought on for a 2 over burst of right arm anything to open up the game a bit, which Fourie (87) accepted before randomly scooping one off Heater right down the throat of Foulds at short fine leg.
Wickets continued to fall in quick succession from this point onwards, with Horsham-Holt contributing two wickets before his hamstrings gave up after 3 overs (he’s 18).
With a draw looming in the shadows of the Castle Ground’s trees, the ball once again was thrown to Ryan Trotter, with a licence to spin it.
After his first three balls took (according to Martlets wordsmith Tom Whyte) 8 minutes to bowl, with failed runups, a lost ball and god knows what else, Trotter got a googly to spin, and spin very big. The batsman left it, the Martlets around the bat went up, and so did the umpires finger. A rare ‘bowling second’ win at Arundel Castle for the hosts.
An excellent day’s cricket, with cracking weather, superb hospitality and marvellous company. Thanks to Deggsy for organising, the legendary Paul Walker for sponsoring and the Martlets players for making it another memorable day at the Castle.
100% in 2026!

Dom Heater

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