Rye Cricket Club will get their 2019 season underway this Saturday April 20 with a friendly fixture at home to Linden Park, 1pm start. Rye will be hoping to put out a strong XI, in the pre-season fixture, as they get themselves ready for the challenge of playing in the 1st Central Sussex Cricket League Division 3 (East), after the success of winning Division 4 (East) in 2018.
This will be the highest standard that Rye Cricket Club has played at in the Sussex Cricket Pyramid. Following league mergers in the winter, the league is now the largest cricket league in the world!
Rye 1st XI will be skippered by Harry Smeed, the 2nd XI by Ellis Hatter and the 3rd XI by James Jury.
Rye will be without their overseas player Altaf Ahmad, who arrives on April 28, ready for the first league fixture away to Portslade on May 4. He will also miss the next pre-season friendly on April 27 when Rye host Ashford Town. On the same day, the 2nd XI travel to play Hawkinge as they prepare for another season in Division 5 (East), the same level at which the 1st XI played in 2013. The 2nd XI will be buoyed by their indoor success in winning Division 3 of the Hastings Indoor League.
The Colts section commences Summer Coaching on May 1, from 6 to 7pm for under 11s and under 13s and 7 to 8pm for under 15s and under 18s.
The Primary School aged All Stars programme begins on May 3, 6 to 7pm at The Rye Salts. To get your son or daughter, aged 5-18, involved in Rye’s growing Colts programme, come along to the signing on night on Friday April 26 at The Rye Cricket Salts. The costs are £30 for 5 to 9 year olds and £60 for all other ages up to 18. This is a one off cost, and covers 12 coaching sessions and all games.
Rye will be fielding teams at Under 11 / 13 / 15 in the Ashford Junior Cricket League, a Under 9 squad in a variety of Sunday festivals, and U16 and U18 teams in the Sussex Junior Cricket Festival. On the final league Saturday in 2018, 25 of the 33 players were former Colts, testament to the hard work of the club in encouraging young people to enjoy cricket.
Through the winter, work has been completed on improvement to the upstairs room of the Sidney Allnutt Pavilion. The room is now available for letting, making a perfect place to use for parties, meetings etc, with kitchen facilities and parking, and plenty of space. All with new furniture, thanks to the award of an ECB World Cup Grant.
Rye Cricket Club would like to thank their sponsors for supporting the club again, and making cricket possible in Rye;
Old Dairy Brewery, Rush, Witt & Wilson, Shirt Sponsor Contour Contracts Ltd, Mahdi Spice, Tony Bowles Carpets, Haydens, Melissa Cook Veterinary Physiotherapist, Rye Cleaners, Grammar School Records, Yew Tree Stone Memorial Masons, Channons Country Store, Peter Farrow Jeweller, Concepts of Rye, World of Water, Atlas Trailer Hire, The Hope & Anchor Hotel, The Window Wizard of Rye, Phillips & Stubbs, Rye Gardening Services, The Jempson Foundation, Ashdown Hurrey, Will’s Cafe, DR Studio and The Mermaid Inn.
To get involved with Rye Cricket Club or to hire out the pavilion, please contact the Secretary Martin Blincow on 07535482006 or blincsfamily@aol.com.
Image Credits: Rye Cricket Club .