Bartlett's finest year was 1938. While travelling by train to Leeds to play Yorkshire in May, his captain Jack Holmes told him : "If you score 50 I will give you your cap ... a 50 against Yorkshire is worth 150 against any other county." Sussex lost their first five wickets for 106 when Bartlett joined Harry Parks. They added 126 in 75 minutes of which Bartlett scored 94. The bowlers were Bill Bowes, Hedley Verity, Frank Smailes, Emmott Robinson and Cyril Turner. He hit seven sixes (all off Verity) and nine fours. In two overs by Verity, Bartlett scored 062660 and 006606. The last six was his final scoring shot as he tried to hit Smailes over long off and was caught by Maurice Leyland "with his heels on the boundary and left hand outstretched". Bartlett was duly awarded his county cap.