Rayleigh 113 for 5 off 20 Overs
Orsett 107 for 8 off 20 Overs
Rayleigh won by 6 runs.

Team: Christian H (Capt), Gideon H, Nick B, Lloyd S, Sam L, Shaun G, Matt J, Josh, Hugh K, Max J, and Matt C.

A friendly outing arranged at Orsett’s request and the opportunity for everyone to have a bat and/or a bowl – particularly, those who haven’t had much chance to date.

A quickfire 25* from Hugh up top and 26* from Christian towards the end of the innings were the foundation of a good score of 113 –5 from our 20 overs. We always looked favourite to defend this total until some last over hitting by one of the Orsett lads almost snatched victory from our grasp but we managed to scrape home by just 6 runs in the end.

Special mention to Gideon for an opening spell of 3 wickets for 3 runs, to U11 Josh with 1 for 5 and Nick 2 for 11.

It’s back to the League next with a must win game at Woodside Park against Benfleet.

Fairview 112 for 6 off 20 Overs
Rayleigh 108 all out off 19.2 Overs
Fairview won by 4 runs.

Team: Christian H (Capt), Luke K, Gideon H, George B, Nick B, Nathan H, Lloyd S, Conor S, Dan H, Tom G and Matt C.

Our first League outing of the season was a local derby at Rawreth Lane against Fairview. Asked to field first having lost the toss we opened the bowling with Luke, who struggled for rhythm early on and Nathan, who worked up good pace and accuracy. A wicket apiece brought the better batsmen to the crease and although the run rate never got away from us (the first boundary not coming until the 10th over!) we never made any significant inroads into the opposition batting. This coupled with a healthy rash of wides (9) and no balls (3) saw Fairview to a total of 112–6 in their 20 overs. On the whole the fielding was sound, with the highlight being yet another excellent trademark catch from Dan H.

Special mention to stand-in wicketkeeper George who was given a fairly torrid time by some of the bowlers unable to adjust their line to left and right handers — something to work on in training!

And so to the batting effort which was a real stop/start affair. We were always up with or ahead of the required 5.6 runs per over but lost wickets on a regular basis to a succession of poor shots and bad running. No one batsmen dominated but many chipped-in (Nathan 16, Luke 16, George 12 and Gideon 12) such that with 4 or 5 overs to go we were the bookmakers favourites needing barely 5 runs an over and having wickets in hand. But self destruction followed and we entered the final over needing 5 runs with only two wickets in hand. 1st ball … run out … 2nd ball … run out … game over !!

And the moral of the story? Beware the team wearing trainers, particularly black trainers!

Rayleigh 127 for 3 off 20 Overs
Pegasus & Corringham 104 for 8 off 20 Overs
Rayleigh won by 23 runs.

Team: Christian H (Capt), Luke K, Sam L, Hugh K, Gideon H, George B, Nick B, Nathan H, Lloyd S, Shaun G, and Matt C.

A Peters Cup 2nd Round tie against Pegasus & Corringham at Rawreth. Won the toss and chose to bat on what was a very green and lively track — more of this later!

Super efforts from Christian 50* and George 47* saw us to an excellent total which was never really threatened by the opposition who came up 23 runs short at 104–8. Skipper Christian also taking 3–13 with the ball.

However, the most notable event of the evening was Matt ‘wearing one’ at slip off Nathan. The ball flew at some pace off the outside edge of the bat and appeared to take Matt full in the face — blood everywhere! Upon inspection Matt’s nose seemed to have taken the brunt of the impact but it appears likely that he managed to absorb some of the blow with his hands. A week on and despite some bruising around the eyes all seems well and we are grateful there is no lasting damage.

We have now qualified for the regional rounds of the County Cup and are due to meet Leigh on Wednesday 9th June.

Rayleigh 122 for 7 off 20 Overs
Stock 41 all out off 12 Overs
Rayleigh won by 81 runs.

Team: Christian H (Capt), Sam L, Luke K, George B, Nathan H, Lloyd S, Hugh K, Shaun G, Tom G, Thomas P, Matt J and Matt C.

With no league game scheduled, a hastily arranged 12 a-side friendly with the ever-reliable Stock was the order of the day on yet another a bitterly cold but sunny mid-May evening.

A coach’s pre-match agreement saw Rayleigh batting first against what was quite a lively opening attack — so lively in fact that 3 wickets were lost with barely a run scored. Matt C lost his off-bail, Matt J scooped one straight up in the air to the keeper and Sam L turned his back on one and was adjudged BBW (Bum Before Wicket!!). Thomas P and Nathan H then steadied the ship with the latter going on to retire at 25. Skipper Christian H enjoyed similar success and with useful contributions from the other lower middle order batsmen we made a respectable total of 122.

This immediately looked to be about 100 runs too many as Tom G took wickets with the first and second balls of the 2nd innings, Luke K took a further 2 in his short spell and an inspired Sam L 4 wickets (3 bowled/1 caught and bowled) in his two overs. Only two Stock batsmen really came to terms with our bowling and the innings subsided to 41 all out.

Lessons to be learned:-

1. Avoid playing back to the full straight delivery
2. Never ever turn your back on the ball
3. Catching with cold hands is tricky

You know who you are!!!

Rayleigh 109 for 3 off 20 Overs

Fairview 98 for 9 off 20 Overs

Rayleigh won by 11 runs.

 

Team: Christian H (Capt), Sam L, Luke K, Gideon H, George B, Nick B, Adam K, Nathan H, Lloyd S, Hugh K and Matt C.

 

With all ash-delayed personnel now safely returned from overseas we were able to field a near full-strength side in the 1^st Round Peters Cup match against local rivals Fairview on a bitterly cold but sunny early May evening.

 

Winning the toss and electing to bat we made steady if unspectacular progress against what was a fairly accurate and varied opposition attack. The early loss of Nathan brought George to the crease and, despite some struggles against the spinners, he was to carry his bat for a well-made 33* putting on a fine partnership with Lloyd (34) for the 3^rd wicket. Our total of 109 for the loss of just 3 wickets was, perhaps, 10-15 runs below par and we still need to learn how to rotate the strike with singles rather than swinging and missing a lot of the time!

 

Some fine accurate opening bowling from Luke (2 for 9 in 3 overs) and Matt put Fairview well behind the required rate. And despite some good middle order batting coupled with some less than efficient fielding (cold hands and brains!) a steady loss of wickets was too much for Fairview who ended up 11 runs short.

 

Special mention to wicketkeeper Hugh who stopped everything behind the stumps in tricky conditions for keepers.

 

Round 2 will be at Rawreth on Wednesday 19^th May against Stanford-le-Hope or Pegasus.