Rye 1st XI lost the toss yet again, in this fixture v St James II at The Rye Salts, sponsored by My Sweet Old Etcetera. The result was another request to bat first for Rye. The outcome in pure statistics was 264 runs 0 wickets 37 overs. George Wathen 135 not out, Sandun Dias 121 not out.
The Cricket Salts was like a road, as the ball was driven to all parts. At tea Rye contemplated 63 overs of bowling. That was what they then had to do, returning all 63 overs to St James who grimly hung on, as they only had 10 players.
Their resistance was led by Heath (42), Davies (92 not out) and Edmonds (32). They too profited from the flat wicket, and ever attacking fields, and all manner of inducements to play shots. Eight bowlers were used, and it was Dias, 4 wickets and Wathen, 3 wickets who proved their all rounder credentials by striking. St James hung on to be 220-8 off 63 overs, leaving Rye just one wicket from all 30 points.
Seconds face furnace
The Rye 2nd XI travelled to Ansty on Saturday and entered a furnace, as they lost the toss and were asked to field. At first it looked like it would be a short shift as 17 year old James Smeed took 3-49 and 17 year old Tobias Farrow 1-20. The Ansty team stumbled at 15-4, but then Barnes (92) and Burt (39) took the momentum away as some wayward bowling released the pressure.
Burt shared a 110 run partnership before Clifton took a wicket. Dorkings then on 40, continued the run spree. The wicket was like the proverbial road, and the outfield lightning fast. Barnes fell for 92, caught brilliantly on the boundary by 14 year old Luke Payton. At which point Ansty declared on 229-7 off 48 overs. At tea Ansty felt it was their game to win.
Rye though had other ideas as Claremont Senior School boy Sachin Jha (113 not out out) and (Mark Cook 71), put Ansty to the sword. Twenty five boundaries and four 6s saw Rye move to 171 before Cook fell – more a victim of heat exhaustion than anything else. Ellis Hatter (27 not out) joined Sachin and saw Rye to the winning post in the 40th over. It was a good performance in the extremely hot conditions, for a very young and inexperienced team.
Thirds go friendly
Bexhill 5th XI 80, Rye 3rd XI 81-6
Rye third team hosted a friendly 40-over fixture with Bexhill fifths with both sides not having a league fixture.
On winning the toss the home side elected to field first and made an early break through off the bowling of Max Goodsell (1-11), Mike Stoneham then reduced Bexhill to 36-5 as he went on to claim bowling figures of 3-5 from 7 overs including the wickets of Ben Van Noort (14) and Harry Strugnell (19). Nick Paine then finished with figures of 2-8 from 9 overs as Bexhill were 45-6, Bethan Harvey scored 15 and Jerry Robinson scored 10 before falling victim to John Josiah (2-22). Nick Smith (10) was the last wicket to fall with a run out and the score 80 with two overs to spare.
Bexhill made an early break through into the 9-man Rye line up through the bowling of Hollie Young who went on to finish with figures of 3-18. Opening batsmen Anthony Cousins provided strong resistance and punished any wayward bowling. Ross Pierce having scored 15 was run out through a straight shot being deflected on to the stumps. With the score 41-6 the result could have gone either way. Max Goodsell batted well to finish on 17 not out, but Cousins ensured victory scoring 40 not out as Rye reached their target with 12 overs to spare and one wicket in hand. The
other Bexhill wicket takers were Dominic Carey (1-9) and Josh Martindale (1-21).
Rye’s success with the bat extended to the Colts. 14 year old Luke Payton hit 106 not out for Rye U17s as they defeated Mersham by 40 runs. 14 year old Ewan Fricker hit 50 not out as Rye U15s defeated Mersham U15s.
This week Rye 1sts travel to title rivals Seaford in a game that promises to be a closely fought encounter. The 2nds in a match sponsored by The Mermaid Inn host Haywards Heath 2nd XI and the Third XI host Linden Park 5ths at Icklesham.
This evening Rye U17s host Kennington, then on Monday the Under 11s host Mersham, on Wednesday the U15s travel to Boughton, and the T20 team travel to Northiam. On Thursday the U13s travel to Boughton.
Photo: Martin Blincow