Last Saturday Rye 1sts and 2nds continued their winning start to the cricket season with convincing victories.
The 1st Xl travelled to play newly promoted Portslade. Rye arrived to find a wet pitch, under prepared and a broken down roller on the ground. With dark clouds overhead, skipper Harry Smeed lost the toss, and Rye were invited to bat. From the start the wicket was the bowlers’ friend. However the Rye batsmen applied themselves to the task. Aussie Dylan Harrison-Smith batted with great care to provide the backbone to the innings with a superb 98, only to be cruelly dismissed just short of his first ever century. He was supported by Luke Payton with 40 off 25 balls, and shared a 70 run partnership with Spencer Fielding. Rye finally reached 242-9 off 45 overs.
Portslade were never in the chase as the Rye bowlers took full advantage of the conditions. Craig Pierce started the demise of the innings with 3-21, supported by Steve Stickells 1-38. The stand out Man of the Match performance was from James Smeed who took 6-17 off 9 overs, 6 of those runs came from one blow, and 5 victims were bowled, the other fell LBW.
It leaves Rye 1sts with a maximum 60 points and they will host Cuckfield 2nd Xl this Saturday at the Rye Cricket Salts in a match sponsored by My Sweet Old Etcetera. The game starts at 12.30pm.
Rye 2nds hosted Mayfield 3s in a match sponsored by The Mermaid Inn. There were worries about a wet wicket as the royal visit to Rye had turned the Salts into a helipad, and the covers had been stored away. However the volunteers did a great job to get the wicket ready. Rye 2nds also lost the toss and were invited to bat. Rye never looked in trouble. Skipper Ben Clifton led the way with 83, supported by Mark Cook 60 and Ellis Hatter with 26. Rye ended their 40 overs on 215-4 with maximum batting points.
Mayfield in reply never got their chase underway. The U16 bowling attack of James Archer 0-14 and Charlie Prentice 1-24, put the brake on, then aussie Blake Rouse ripped out the middle order with 5-11 off 6 overs, leaving the other Under 16s Tom O’Neill 2-8 and Matthew Best 1-6 to dismiss Mayfield 3s for 93 in 26.3 overs.
This Saturday, Rye travel to play newly relegated Willingdon 1sts who also have maximum points. It is noted that of the 22 players on Saturday, 17 of them have played for the Club’s Junior Section.
Image Credits: Rye Cricket Club .