On Saturday night, September 6, Rye Cricket Club celebrated an enjoyable and successful 2025 cricket season. Up to a 100 people enjoyed the BBQ and bar, the warm evening weather and a Junior Presentation and a Senior Presentation.
The Junior Presentation recognised the U11A team winning their League and the U13s and U16s finishing 2nd in their League. Individuals Fergus Cooke and Oscar Wincott-Stone won the Highest Number of Runs Trophy in their respective Leagues and Quinn Morris and Soul Summers were second in the Bowling Trophy for their Leagues. Over 60 youngsters were involved during the season.
U11 A Club Awards:
Batting: Luke Rogers Bowling: Luke Rogers Fielding: George Smith Coaches Award: George Smith
U11 B Club Awards:
Batting: Fergus Cooke Bowling: Quinn Morris Fielding: Lucas Mahaffey Coaches Award: Ellis Wilkes
U13 Club Awards: Batting: Soul Summers Bowling: Soul Summers Fielding: Charlie Cooke Coaches Award: Alex Welch
U16 Club Awards: Batting / Bowling / Fielding / Coaches – Oscar Wincott-Stone
The Junior Programme starts again on October 9 at 5pm to 6pm at Rye Sports Centre with an introductory soft ball session. The cost is £30 for 8 weeks.
Sadly we cannot offer hardball as the indoor nets are broken, and require funds for their repair. To apply to the softball sessions contact Martin Blincow blincsfamily@aol.com / 07535482006.
The Senior Presentation evening recognised both perfomance on and off the field. The major presentation was the Richard Merricks Award for Clubman of the year. This year Rye Cricket Club had to take responsibility for maintaining the cricket square and the outfield. Thanks to Riley McCarthy and Harry Smeed, the club has been able to be real stewards of a key public area in Rye. As volunteers they have committed so much time to caring for the Rye Cricket Salts. Thanks were expressed to both ground sponsors Bournes Movers and to the Rye Fund for their respective financial contributions to the work to maintain The Salts.
Thanks also to the amazing local sponsors without whom there would be no cricket in Rye:
Senior Shirt Sponsor – Skinners of Rye
Junior Shirt Sponsor – Rush Witt, Wilson
Ted Baker Trust – Junior Section Support
Bournes Movers – Ground Sponsor
George in Rye – Stump Sponsors
My Sweet Etcetera / The Mermaid Inn – Match Day Sponsors
Chandlers Roof Supplies
Parker Building Supplies
Sussex Plumbing Services
Marinos
The Ship Inn
Peter Farrow Jeweller
Mahdi Lounge
Rye Retreat
Phillips & Stubbs
The Jempson Foundation
Armour Flooring
Rye Bay Fitness
Haydens
Khan’z
Platinum Groundworks
On the playing side the Awards were:
Player of the Year: 1st Xl Harry Smeed, 2nd Xl Freddie MacKenzie, 3rd Xl Sam Bradnum.
U16 Player of the Year Oscar Wincott-Stone, U21 Player of The Year Sam Bradnum
The 1st Xl lost on Saturday to Hailsham but still finished 5th in Division 3 East, the top run scorer was Luke Payton who returns to Australia for the third Winter and Harry Smeed was the leading wicket taker with 34.
The 2nd Xl beat Bexhill 2nds consigning them to relegation as the 2nds finished 5th in Div 7 East. Ben Clifton was the top run scorer and Martin Blincow the leading wicket taker for both the club and the Division with 30 wickets.
The 3rd Xl finished third in Division 12 with Sam Bradnum top run score and 3rd in the Division and Ant Bradnum the leading wicket taker.
It all starts again for the Seniors on Friday February 13 7-830pm at Claremont School in Bodiam with Winter Nets.
I’d like to thank Martin for his enthusiasm in delivering another great year of cricket in Rye. All of us at the club greatly appreciate his leadership of the club.
I’d like to also thank James Jury for his leadership as Rye 3rds captain, which he is relinquishing after many years. It can’t have been easy being in charge of a rabble like us and putting up with some of the things our opponents threw at him.
Lastly I’d like to thank Ed Prentice for organising the BBQ on awards night. There was a good serving of both food and banter from the grill!
Looking forward to season 2026!