This week’s match report is from September 7, 1937 and features a benefit match for the Sussex professional Tommy Cook – which also featured the great England all rounder Maurice Tate who, to this day, still holds the Ashes record by an England bowler in Australia of 38 wickets.
He was an off spin bowler, who at the age of 27 converted into a fast bowler, developing many of the techniques of modern seam bowling. In addition he was a ferocious hitter of the cricket ball.
The newspaper article from which we take this week’s report, was given to the club by the son of the Rye opening bowler F. Mills. There are other local names in the Rye team, in particular C. Catt, who had lost an arm in the first world war but who continued to play cricket and football for Rye – this is just another part of the rich history of cricket in Rye.
Hastings Argus: September 8, 1937:
Hat Trick Against County Team : Not every village cricketer has the honour of performing a hat trick while playing against a county XI. But when the Sussex 1st XI defeated Rye at the Salts yesterday afternoon, S. Elkin, the club’s star bowler, took the wickets of W. Cornford, J. Nye and C. Oakes with successive balls.
The home side who were playing with 13 batsmen, but with eleven fielders, won the toss and took first knock. W. Swaine scored 29 including 5 fours and Rye batted warily and steadily, but then came Oakes who took 5 wickets in 14 balls for only 5 runs.
The home side’s captain, J. Hacking, improved matters however and when he fell victim to a catch by Harry Parks off Oakes his score stood at 42. John Langridge and J. Eaton opened the batting for Sussex to the bowling of Gay and Mills who dismissed them for very small cost. (44-2)
Tommy Cook was the hero of the day, scoring a century and flogging the bowling all over the field. The locals could do nothing against him, although his score would have been considerably lighter but for the fielding of C. Catt, the remarkable one armed Rye sportsman.
Elkin removes three
H. Parks was an admirable partner for Tommy. Then came Elkin’s feat. W. Cornford was caught by Ide off Elkin with the fifth ball of his ninth over. C. Oakes was then stumped first ball and with the first ball of his next over Elkin had Nye caught by Bates.
Rye
W. Swaine b Oakes 29
L F Ide c Cornford b Oakes 15
G. Brann c Eaton b Tate 6
D. Bone lbw b Oakes 2
C. Parling c Holmes b Oakes 0
T. Bruce b Oakes 0
C. Catt b Oakes 1
J. Camphe b Oakes 1
G. Bates c Oakes b Holmes 17
D. Gay b Cornford 11
J. Hacking c Parks b Oakes 42
F. Mills b Oakes 6
S. Elkin not out 9
Extras 13
Total 156
C. Oakes 7-60
Sussex
John Langridge c Bruce b Mills 15
J. Eaton c Elkin b Gay 7
J. Oakes b Gay 15
T. Cook LBW b Hacking 102
H. Parks b Hacking 50
M. W. Tate b Elkin 19
A. J. Holmes c Bone b Bruce 12
W. Cornford c Ide b Elkin 11
C. Oakes st Swaine b Elkin 0
J. Nye c Bates b Elkin 5
J. Cornford not out 0
Extras 6
Total 233
Elkin took 4-41
Image Credits: Martin Blincow .