On Tuesday, August 4 Rye should have held a Presidents’ match between a David Dee Xl and a Rick Merricks Xl. The match had been arranged because sadly in January, club president David Dee passed away suddenly after a heart attack. The club wanted to mark the many years David Dee had given to the club as a player and as a treasurer with an appropriate tribute.
![](https://www.ryenews.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/david-dee-winchelsea-6-108x300.jpg)
The plan was to host a match on The Salts with a marquee, with a game of David’s former playing friends, and to officially “open” a public defibrillator machine on the Rye Cricket Pavilion, and to raise funds for the costs associated. Due to the ongoing pandemic issues, the club had to postpone those plans. However the game will now take place in August 2021, as part of a cricket week, which will include a fixture against the MCC.
In the meantime the club has gone ahead and purchased a defibrillator machine and there will be an opportunity in 2021 for people to make donations, and raise funds retrospectively, and to place an appropriate plaque on the pavilion. We await its delivery, and would hope in the autumn to have it in place and ready if the need should arise.
Image Credits: Rye Cricket Club , Rye News Library .