Saturday May 9 saw Rye begin their league campaign as they hosted Keymer & Hassocks on a wet afternoon.
Rye captain Gary Willis won the toss and elected to bowl first on a damp wicket, but the game was to be delayed by an hour due to heavy and persistent rain. This meant reducing it to a 49 overs per side game. Hassocks got off to a good start reaching 30 without loss before Kshemal Waingankar struck to reduce them to 30 for the loss of one wicket. This then became the Pierce and Waingankar show as they reduced Hassocks to 61-8, Rye cruising at this point. James Pitt and Alex Brakell now came together and compiled a solid 50 run partnership to take the visitors to 117-8. Clifton was then brought into the attack and he broke the partnership instantly, finally dismissing the side for 117. Pierce 5-20 and Waingankar 4-34 blew away the Hassocks batting line up.
Rye then set about chasing the target down and got off to a steady start, reaching 18 without loss. However this soon became 18-2 as Clifton and Hamilton were removed in quick succession and when Rye slipped to 27-3 it all looked worrying. But Dan Seabrook (38) and Will Wheeler (33) joined together to put the home side back in the driving seat, moving the score along to 86-3. This soon became 87-5 as Seabrook and Wheeler were removed one after the other. Now came ‘Mr Experienced’ Mark Cook (6) and Mickey Toomey (16*) who both batted patiently to move Rye close to victory Then there were more nerves when Cook was bowled with the score on 105, but Toomey knocked off the final runs to secure Rye a first League victory of the season. The team travel to Wisborough Green next when they will be searching for a second win in a row.
Rye 2nd XI V. Keymer & Hassocks 2nd XI
The seconds made the reverse journey to Hassocks, much of which was in driving rain. On arrival the sun broke through the clouds, Rye lost the toss and found themselves batting on a wet wicket. They were soon in trouble at 20-4 as Corrigan took 3-25 and Marsden-Knight bowled 11 overs for 1-14. However Skipper Martin Blincow (17) and 14 year old Tobias Farrow (14) showed great resistance and patience as they batted for 25 overs for a 45 run partnership before both went in quick succession. As conditions improved the tail wagged as Gandhi Tandoori man of the match, Ryan Dowdeswell, struck 42 runs as Rye batted through their 53 overs to finish on 127-9.
In reply Hassocks equally found runs difficult and Dowdeswell struck to remove opener Toussaint for 15, Billy Blackford had George Christmas smartly caught by Nick Paine for 3, Dowdeswell ran out Morrissey for 12 and with opener Carter retiring hurt, Hassocks were 60-3, but then Finch came to the wicket and taking advantage of some indifferent early season bowling struck 10 boundaries to race to 60 not out and secure a victory for Hassocks.
Rye 3rd XI 98-8 Lost to Gildredge 2nd XI 176-All Out
Rye hosted Gildredge for their first fixture in division 10 of the East Sussex Cricket League at their new home ground of Icklesham following the relocation of the artificial wicket. Winning the toss, and following earlier showers, the home side asked Gildredge to bat first.
Rye got off to a good start with Tom Barling Gasson bowling a tight spell, frustrating the batsmen as Mike Stoneham took wickets at the other end. Tom Martin then continued from where Barling Gasson left off, bowling tight and taking the wicket of James Matanle (17). The Gildredge captain, James Dallaway, provided some resistance as he took the score past 100 before he was dismissed by the return of Barling Gasson (1-26 off 12 overs) for 54. Jon Rose then punished any wayward bowling on his way to 38 before falling victim to Tom Martin (3-38 off 12 overs). Jamie Lait hit a quick fire 17 before the Gandhi Tandoori man of the match, Mike Stoneham, finished the innings by claiming figures of 6 for 93 off 22 overs.
After tea Rye’s innings began worryingly with both opening bowlers taking a wicket each in their second overs as James Matanle claimed 1-16. Although Tim Morgan (20) provided resistance, wickets continued to fall at the other end as batsmen failed to reach double figures, with Charlie Webley doing most of the damage. Derek Fraser hit a quick 18 before being caught off the bowling of R Chadwick (1-17) andTom Martin scored 10 before becoming Webley’s final victim as he claimed figures of 5-34 off 17. Rye managed to cling on for the draw as Bill Anderson finished on 12 not out and extras top-scored (24), the other Gildredge wicket taker was Adam Kelly (1-2).
This weekend the 1sts, as mentioned above, travel to Wisborough Green, the 2nds host Glynde in a match sponsored by The Mermaid Inn, the Thirds travel to Newick 4ths. On Tuesday the U15s travel to Kennington and on Wednesday the 1st xi host Crowborough in a T20 fixture at The Salts. The Colts season has been slow to start due to wet weather and other clubs forfeiting games.
Photo by Janet Tiltman