For the second week in a row, Rye Cricket Club travelled to a higher tiered opposition, this time in the form of Glynde & Beddingham. After a narrow defeat the week before, the club were searching for a first win of the season.
Having won the toss and elected to bat on a sunny afternoon, Rye got off to a great start, putting on 67 for the first wicket. However, Dan Seabrook (18) fell to the accurate bowling of Burton-Durham (4-28). It then turned into a one man show as James Hamilton batted for 37 overs without finding any partners, scoring a magnificent 131. The only other men to reach double figures were Mark Cook (25) and Spencer Fielding (12). The score at the half-way stage finished on 231 for 9: a sound score from forty overs, providing Rye with a good opportunity to seal a first victory of the season.
Seabrook provided a fantastic start in the first over of the Glynde reply, as he ran out opener Archie Burrows with a direct hit from the boundary. Glynde then kept up with the required run rate, until Gary Willis removed Alex Thornhill for 27. Harry Smeed was then brought into the attack and after his 8 allotted overs, had taken magnificent figures of 4-12. This broke the back of the Glynde batting and removed any chance of them winning the game.
With the rain coming down, it was a matter of Rye getting their overs completed before the rain settled in. Ben Clifton 1-28 and Mark Cook 0-39 raced through the overs, to ensure their first victory of the season. Glynde finished on 180-7 and 51 runs short of the Rye total.
There is one final warm up game against Iden (tomorrow) before the league starts. Kshemal Waingankar will be in the country and available for his first game for Rye, fresh from a season playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. The match starts at 1.30 pm at the Rye Cricket Salts and is sponsored by My Sweet Old Etcetera.
Last Friday the club officially opened The Sidney Allnut Pavilion. Pictured below are vice chairman Mark Cook, club chairman Kevin Jury, pavilion chairman Darren Smith and club secretary Martin Blincow. The original sign from the arson-destroyed pavilion has been restored and will be reinstated and a picture has been found of Sidney Allnut pulling a pint in the old pavilion in 1974.
The signing-on evening was a great success, with the Colts coaching session getting underway this evening with primary age at 6pm and secondary age at 7pm at the Salts, all welcome to join in, especially primary age boys and girls. The club is aiming to run a girls team.
To support the growth of colts cricket, Rye Cricket Club is hosting a Sussex County Cricket Club Roadshow on May 27 from 10am – 3pm at a cost of £15 for 7-13 year olds, with the club holding a summer camp on May 28 for 11-18 year olds at a cost of £10.
For more details or to join Rye Cricket Club contact Martin Blincow on blincsfamily@aol.com
The Colts season gets underway on Monday with the U11s playing Mersham B, the U15s entertain Willesborough on Tuesday, the 1st XI play Crowhurst Park in the Gordon Busbridge T20 and on Thursday the U13s go to Ashford Town. All games start at 6pm.
Photo by Janet Tiltman