A weekend of mixed fortunes for our Saturday league sides with three wins and three losses.
T Rippon Mid Essex Premier Division. The 1st XI went to Chelmsford to play top of the table Springfield 1st XI and losing the toss were invited to bat on a damp pitch under cloudy skies. These conditions proved ideal for the best bowling attack in the League and Rayleigh were reduced to 39-8 and were bowled out for 54 in the 22nd over. The home side knocked off the required runs in 8 overs but lost 3 wickets in the process. This was a disappointing end to a good run of victories.
T Rippon Mid Essex League Division 2. The 2nd XI entertained Burnham Sports 1st XI, who batting first scored 183-5 in a game reduced to 40 overs. Rayleigh never looked like reaching this target with wickets falling regularly and only a short cameo from Elliot Ward (32) enabled the side to reach a total of 102.
T Rippon Mid Essex League Division 5. The 3rd XI went to play Ongar 1st XI, and batting first were bowled out for 197, David Hall taking 2-15 and Nick Green 2-20. Sam Verrinder (45) and Martin Sanderson (30) top scored as Rayleigh passed their target in the 44th over for the loss of 7 wickets.
T Rippon Mid Essex League Division 6. The 4th XI hosted bottom of the table, Danbury 1st XI, and batting first were bowled out for 127 only Tom Gosling (36) and Steve Gosling (33) mastering the bowling. The visitors knocked off the runs in the 32nd over for the loss of 2 wickets.
T Rippon Mid Essex League Division 9. Rankins 3rd XI were the visitors to the 5th XI, who batting first scored 184-7, Duncan Baldwin (68) and Duncan Bond (44) top scoring. The visitors were restricted to a score of 149-9 in their 35 overs to give the 5th XI victory by 35 runs, Sam Martin taking 4-30, Sam Levett 2-23 and Jamie Coleman 2-39.
T Rippon Mid Essex League Division 10. The 6th XI travelled to Danbury to play Oaklands 1st XI. Paul Cox finally won the toss and invited Oaklands to bat on a sluggish track. They scored 153-9 in their 40 overs with wickets shared around, Jack Andrews taking 2-19, Kuldeep Paik 2-29 and Jack Himpfen-Jones 2-35. Richard Verrinder (75) & Dave Turner (27) opened up the innings with an impressive 92 run partnership taking the game beyond Oaklands. Jack Andrews (32*) joined in with some powerful hitting and led Rayleigh to an eight wicket victory in the 37th over.
The 7th XI were due to visit Herongate but the game was called off because of a waterlogged pitch.