Rye Cricket Club were looking to consolidate their lead at the top of the EACA Midweek Indoor League while Ashburnham were looking to close the gap on the leaders.
Ashburnham used their more familiar team in the first encounter with Rye, batting second they eventually won with an over to spare.
Rye were a little relaxed in getting ready, forced a different opening partnership to the pair that have bonded well in their previous four wins, however George Wathen and Harry Smeed started well taking the score to 15 runs off two overs.
Ashburnham’s Mathews, with two wickets for 15 runs, bowled well from the start producing a flighty slow ball that trapped Wathen leg before wicket for just eight runs. Dan Seabrook usually opening found himself feeling he was late for the party and a first ball drive to the deep fielder saw him walking back off and Mathews claiming his second wicket.
Mickey Toomey joined the unfazed Smeed and both started to score freely, Smeed quickly reaching 25 runs, the maximum score allowed before having to retire until all lower order batters either reach the 25 or lose their wicket.
Toomey quickly followed Smeed, reaching his maximum allowed, before Ashburnham produced some tight overs with good dot balls and the run outs of Clifton and Farrow two and four runs respectively.
Following the rules where a batsman can return once all wickets have fallen, allowed Smeed to reach 28 runs not out and Toomey unchanged on an also brilliant score of 25 runs not out.
With the Rye boys needing to contain Ashburnham to under six runs an over, meant score-wise it was going to be a hard bowling task, but yet again Rye’s ability to come out strong was evident with some close-to-the stump misses and good dot balls. With the score on 16 runs at the beginning of the 4th over, Rye appeared to be keeping their opponents’ required run rate down, however the experience of S Botley and J Bywater yet again set in, taking their team to 48 runs at the start of the 8th over.
Wathen’s two wickets for 15 runs in the 8th over managed to brake the partnership by producing a ball to Bywater, on 18 runs, that was well held by Farrow in the deep. Wathen in the same over struck again, this time his nemesis, Mathews, for one run.
Ben Clifton gave a glimmer of hope with a good over of dot balls. The 10th over saw Botley’s wicket fall for 24 runs in what can only be described as an avoidance from changing room banter, with wicket keeper Seabrook taking an outstanding catch off of the pace bowling of Tobias Farrow, one wicket for 22.
Ashburnham needing eight runs to win off the last two overs, crossed the line with an over and two balls to spare. Rye remain equal top following only their second loss of the competition.
Their next game is on Thursday March 16 at 8:15pm against Hastings & Bexhill Barbarians at Horntye Park in Hastings.
Rye, 71 Runs for 4 wickets, lost to Ashburnham, 73 runs for three wickets
Photo: Rye CC