We welcomed Basildon & Pitsea Cricket Club to Rawreth Lane on Monday, marking the start of Presidents Week 2024. A team comprised of players from across our club, representing nearly all league teams, was skippered by 2nd XI captain Matt Walker.
Basildon won the toss and elected to bowl first on a warm and sunny July afternoon. Sam Keene and James Balkwill opened the batting, starting cautiously by manipulating the field and taking quick singles. Balkwill (28) was the first to go, nicking off to the keeper.
Tom Peppiatt joined Keene at the crease but was caught behind shortly after by a ball that unexpectedly reared up and flicked the handle of his bat, resulting in a two-ball duck. Ben James was next in and, although he helped rotate the strike, he top-edged the ball to the keeper.
Steve Lynch then joined Keene, and the score started to climb. Sam retired at 51*, and despite losing Terry Martin (0), Matt Walker (3), and Duncan Bond (2) to catches behind, Steve Lynch also managed to retire at 51*.
Following some quick wickets, mostly caught behind except for Richard Nolde, who was bowled off his pads, Steve and Sam returned to the crease and began to dominate the Basildon bowlers. Sam was finally dismissed for 68, ending the Rayleigh innings, while Steve Lynch recorded a fast-paced 84* from just 50 balls, including 10 fours and 3 sixes. Rayleigh finished on 223 all out from 37.5 overs. A massive well done to opposition keeper Kiegan Scannell who took an outstanding eight catches.
Duncan Bond and Chloe Martin opened the bowling for Rayleigh, both making significant breakthroughs by taking key wickets of the Basildon opening batters. Richard Nolde delivered his off-spinners economically, keeping the scoring rate in check. Kat Mayfield and Ben James also bowled impressively, each picking up two wickets.
Despite some powerful hitting towards the end of the innings from Basildon’s Michael Gray, who remained unbeaten on 41*, it wasn’t enough to steer them to victory. Duncan Bond, with figures of 8-1-33-2, and Chloe Martin, with 8-0-35-2, set the tone early. Kat Mayfield’s 6-0-34-2 and Ben James’s 4-0-10-2 were crucial in maintaining pressure and ensuring a win for Rayleigh by 33 runs in our opening Presidents Week fixture of 2024.
Looking ahead, tomorrow’s fixture on July 30th will see the U17 Falcons take on Old Southendian and Southchurch Spectres in the SECPG League. The bar will be open, and the game is scheduled to start at 6 pm.
