Rye 1st XI 126 – 6
Hellingly 1st XI 124
Rye 1st XI entertained Hellingly 1st XI on Saturday at The Rye Cricket Salts in a match sponsored by My Sweet Old Etcetera, knowing they needed 1 point to secure the Sussex Cricket League Division 4 East Title.
Rye lost the toss but Hellingly decided to bat first. It wasn’t long before Rye were celebrating. It came in the 11th over when Rye Concepts MOM Tobias Farrow bowled Harry Wooten. From the moment of celebration, Rye carried on with their season-long winning style. Farrow produced an excellent spell of fast bowling, taking 4-20, and Cleon Reece 1-22. Hellingly limped to 105 – 5. At which point spin took over and Hellingly collapsed to 124 all out. George Wathen (3-18) and Martin Blincow (2-10), spinning Rye towards victory, and sadly, Hellingly towards relegation.
Rye’s response was muted as in the eight overs prior to tea, Hellingly removed both James Hamilton and George Wathen, leaving Rye 3-2. After tea skipper Harry Smeed showed the leadership that all season has carried the team forward. Smeed hit 39 runs, and with Tom Williams took Rye into the 80s. When both were dismissed, it was left to Dan Seabrook (29*) and Tobias Farrow (17*) to take Rye over the winning line, and win by four wickets. For Hellingly Harry Gape returned the best figures, with 4-52.
Rye ended the season with a record of 18 played, 13 victories, 3 draws, 1 cancelled and only 1 defeat. A tremendous achievement for the team and the club, built on an Indoor season where a League and Cup Double was achieved, training sessions every Wednesday night, and the majority of the team having played in Rye’s Colts teams since the age of 11.
It was an all-round team performance, with seven different players receiving a Rye Concepts MOM Award. Overseas player Cleon Reece took 45 wickets, James Hamilton scored over 500 runs, but at all points in the season there was always a player to put in a match winning performance with bat or ball, and orchestrated by skipper Harry Smeed.
Planning now begins for the 2019 season, when Rye will be competing at the highest point in the Sussex Cricket League, in the club’s history. A remarkable achievement. During the autumn the club will commence the recruitment of an overseas player. Indoor competitions begin in October, and winter coaching begins on February 20 at Rye Sports Centre.
The Cricket Club would like to extend a big thank you to the support of all the local sponsors, through whose generosity cricket is made possible for Rye’s three Saturday teams, and four Colts teams. Thank you to:
Herringtons Solicitors, Contour Contracts, Rush Witt & Wilson, Old Dairy Brewery, Concepts of Rye, Mermaid Inn, Peter Farrow Jewellers, Martin Channon, Mahdi Spice, Phillips and Stubbs, Grammar School Records, Tony Bowles Carpets, Rye Cleaners, Rye Locksmiths, My Sweet Old Etcetera,
Rye 2nd XI 272-5
Robertsbridge 1st XI 232
Rye 2nd XI has been a proving ground over recent years for developing Rye’s successful 1st XI. This season the youngsters in the 2nd XI have continued that development, and taken the team to their highest point ever in league cricket. They are playing against teams that the 1st XI were playing just five years ago.
On Saturday Rye 2nd XI featured only two players over 25, but produced a mature performance to win by 40 runs. Rye got off to a good start as Luke Payton hit 76. When he was out the 15-year-old had amassed 740 runs to be the leading run scorer in the league. Rye wobbled at 129-4, but then the experienced Mark Cook (77) and 16-year-old Rowan Sharkey (52*), his maiden 2nd XI half century, carried Rye to 272-5 in 45 overs.
Robertsbridge’s response threatened an improbable run chase as Ben Collins (84) and Adam Neil (48) took Robertsbridge within reach of Rye’s total. However Rowan Sharkey (2-47) removed both batsmen, and then John Mackenzie (2-11), with 15-year-old Spencer Sharkey 3-39, held their nerve and dismissed Robertsbridge for 232.
A number of individuals contributed to Rye’s success. Luke Payton ended the season not only the leading Division run score, but also 2nd with 18 dismissals in the wicket-keeper rankings. Martin Blincow with 37 wickets was 3rd in the Division ranking, and 15-year-old Spencer Sharkey 12th with 23 wickets. Skipper Ellis Hatter topped the division’s fielding rankings with 13 catches.
Icklesham XI 238
Rye 3rd XI 144
With Rye third team having a free week in the league they hosted an Icklesham XI to finish off the season, raising funds and the profile of Icklesham, who got off to an excellent start. An opening partnership of 77, saw the ball being hit to all parts of the ground, with the assistance of dropped catches before P Griffiths (36) was bowled by David Jempson (2-27). Fellow opener A Cheltwood (37) was caught soon after off the bowling of George Jempson (1-35). The introduction of Alex Stone into the bowling attack soon reduced the run rate and more regular wickets, as he went on to claim figures of 3-28 which included T Ellward (19), B Felton (24) and D Daniels (17). E Thorne scored 25 before being dismissed and A Abrey hit 41 mainly in boundaries before being bowled by the returning George Channon (1-24). Paul Payton (2-14) and Michael Sharkey (1-18) also chipped in with wickets as Icklesham were dismissed for 238.
In response Rye got off to a poor start as D Daniels claimed figures of 2-7 reducing Rye to 5-2. Ewan Fricker made 19 and Michael Sharkey 26, before they were dismissed in quick succession by Mike Stoneham and E Thorne (1-21). George Channon then joined James Jury with a fifth wicket partnership of 46, before the former was caught off the bowling of B Felton (1-12) having scored 15. James Jury was bowled by R Turk (1- 10) having scored 29, George Jempson finished on 16 not out and Mike Stoneham finished with figures of 3-19 as Rye were dismissed for 144. K Swallow (1-13) was the other Icklesham wicket taker.
An enjoyable afternoon was had in perfect weather conditions raising £325 for the Icklesham New Pavilion Project.
Image Credits: Janet Tiltman .