Rye suffered their first loss in 5 games, losing by 5 wickets away to Rottingdean, slipping from top spot to second in Division 5 East of the Sussex Premier Cricket League.
Rye skipper Willis won the toss and choose to bat on a wicket that looked liked it would offer the bowlers more in the second innings. The team got off to another solid start and at 60 without loss looked set to post another score beyond 200 but when Dias (40) and Wathen (26) fell in quick succession wickets started to be lost regularly. Smeed (19) and Nunn scoring a brilliant 28 down the order managed to push the score up to 157 all out. Credit must go to Rottingdean who bowed well with Johnson picking up 5-43.
Rye got off to a great start with the ball as Dias took a wicket with the first ball of the innings but Henry Ledden (63*) and Mushtaq (38) pushed the score to 76 when Smeed struck to remove Mushtaq. This brought Patel to the crease who smashed a quick fire 30 and took the game away from Rye. A few late wickets from Dias (4-41) gave hope but Bergin (17*) alongside Ledden saw Rottingdean home with 5 wickets in hand. Rye host St James this Saturday looking to get back to winning ways.
On Saturday Rye 2nds entertained Rottingdean 2nds in a match sponsored by The Mermaid Inn. The very youthful 2nd XI dominated this match from the start, despite losing the toss, and last week’s centurion opener, Mark Cook, for nought. This brought Claremont Senior School pupil Sachin Jha to the crease. Whereupon the UAE Under 19 World Cup player dispatched the ball to all corners of the Salts as he hit 120, for his maiden century for Rye. Sharing a 60 run partnership with Jack Dudley (27) and a 100 run partnership with skipper Ben Clifton (38). With Jha out and the score on 205, in the 47th over, Rye collapsed to 218 all out in the 53rd and final over, as Zaloumis took 4-21 and Robson 4-49.
Rye’s dominance continued with the ball, despite Rottingdean reaching 48-1 thanks to Barnes 31. But then 19 year old Jack Dudley began to hit the stumps with 4-18 supported by 18 year old Ollie Rhys Jones (3-25) and 16 year old Harry Rhys -Jones (2-1), as they shared 8 batsmen all bowled. Rottingdean were all out for 95. Rye 2nds now move mid table and start to reap the benefits of the emerging talent.
Crowhurst Park 4th XI 129-9
Rye 3rd XI 131-8
Rye third team hosted Crowhurst Park fourths for their latest division 11 East Sussex Cricket League fixture.
On winning the toss the home side elected to bat first and made early break throughs with two run outs and wickets from Luke Payton (1-8) and Giles Manning (1-22). Ollie Constable (10) was caught off the bowling of Nick Paine (1-10 from 13 overs) and later Henry Durtnall (13) was stumped off the bowling of Ole Jorgensen (1-24) as Crowhurst Park were reduced to 37-6. Colin Ayres (25) and Mark Durtnall (38) both looked to increase the score by finding the boundary before they fell to the bowling of Alex Stone (1-13) and Mike Stoneham (1-28). Dan Flanagan and Tom Ayres finished on 10 not out and 14 not out respectively as Crowhurst Park finished on 129-9 from their allotted overs. The other Rye wicket taker was Reece Martin (1-14).
Crowhurst Park made an early breakthrough in response through the bowling of Henry Durtnall (1-11), a partnership between Paul Payton and Tim Brownbill looked to steady the innings before the latter was bowled by Ollie Constable having scored 35. Paul Payton (10) was the next wicket to fall as Tom Ayres went on to finish with bowling figures of 2-17. Stuart Baker then looked to punish any wayward bowling taking Rye closer to their target including a partnership of 41 with James Jury. Baker also fell victim to Constable having scored 31 and taking Rye to 117-5. Jury having scored 21 was also bowled by constable with the score 124-6. Constable then took a further two wickets to claim figures of 5-40 before Rye reached their target for the loss of eight wickets
with Alex Stone finishing on 10 not out with two allotted overs to spare.
Last Monday the Under 11s defeated Great Chart. Good team performances all round with bat, ball and in the field, led by skipper Beth Chamberlain. This was followed on Tuesday by the U15s defeating Boughton, to go top of the Ashford and District U15 League. Luke Payton (50 retired) and Rowan Sharkey (48 not out) saw Rye score 129 off 20 overs. Rye restricted Boughton to 98. Elise Jorgensen the star performer taking a hat trick.
This Saturday Rye 1sts host St. James II in a match sponsored by My Sweet Old Etcetera, as they continue to push for promotion. The 2nds travel to Ansty 2nds, whilst Rye Thirds host Bexhill 5ths in a friendly.
On Monday the U11s are holding an inter Club game to accommodate the growing number of young players, and introduce them to the hard ball format. On Tuesday the U15s host Mersham, on Wednesday the T20 team host Iden and on Thursday the U13s host Egerton.
Photo: Martin Blincow