Linfield won the toss and elected to bat on a very hot afternoon. It was clearly the right decision as Linfield openers Matt O’Brien 66 and Joe Newcombe 62 added 134 for the first wicket. Rye’s opening attack bowled well without luck, but with 4 bowlers only available it was always going to be a difficult ask. Spinners Martin Blincow and Ross Pierce took on the bowling responsibilities and eventually made the breakthroughs. Linfield stuttered from 134-0 to 186-7 as Blincow took 6-67 off 15 overs and Ross Pierce took 2-80 off 18 overs. Eventually Linfield got to 232-9 in 52 overs as the ninth wicket took advantage of the short boundaries.
Rye’s response was held together by Gandhi Tandoori man of the match Ellis Hatter opening in the County League for the first time. He batted for 30 overs for 37 in the face of both verbal and cricketing challenges. Unfortunately only Spencer Fielding 36 and Ross Pierce 25 not out offered support. Otherwise a procession of batsmen failing to register double figures before Rye were all out for 132 in the 43rd over.
For Linfield Michael Hewitt and Henry Fowler with 4 wickets apiece did the damage. It was still a good effort by the seconds with 7 regulars absent due to holidays, work and injury.
The 2nds are home to Rottingdean 2nds, who took Rye’s second place last Saturday so a challenge for Rye to bounce back. The 3rds are home to TWB 2nd Xl and the 4ths travel to St Peters 4th Xl.
Starting on Monday the Rye U14 team play in the Sussex Junior Cricket Festival. The Festival offers juniors the chance to play longer forms of the game. So on Monday they entertain Bexhill, and then travel to Scaynes Hill, Buxted Park and Portslade on subsequent days.