Weekly Round Up: Cricket’s Back!

The cricket season is officially here, and after two friendly matches, the action is already underway! While both games against Belhus didn’t go our way, it’s been great to see the club back in action and building momentum for the season ahead. You can watch highlights of the 3rd XI over on our YouTube Channel. Captains are finalising their squads, and with the first league matches on the horizon, excitement is definitely growing for what promises to be a great 2025 season.

A gentle reminder to all members to help keep our facilities in good condition. The club has has invested heavily in recent years, and it’s up to all of us to make sure equipment stays in good shape for seasons to come. This includes looking after the mobile scoreboards (one was damaged last year and not reported), using the new sightscreens correctly (removing slats when not in use), and sticking to the net booking system—while also ensuring gear is packed away properly afterwards. If you’re using the kitchen or clubhouse, please leave things as you’d hope to find them. A bit of care goes a long way and helps keep everything running smoothly. Thanks for your continued support.

This week we have four friendly fixtures, with three at home:

• 1st XI vs. Chelmsford Super Kings 1st XI (Home, New Ground)
• 2nd XI vs. Great Baddow 1st XI (Home, Old Ground)
• 3rd XI vs. Ittifaq 1st XI (Home, Third Ground)
• 4th XI vs. Eastwood 3rd XI (Away, Belfairs Park)

Although adult training was cancelled on Monday due to the weather, we are hopeful that training will be on at the next scheduled date on Thursday 24th April. Remember, you can book the nets using our booking form.

Rayleigh travelled to a welcoming Belhus for their opening friendly fixture of the season. After a cordial discussion with the opposition, the 1st XI skipper, noting the varied mix of talent among the visitors, agreed there was no need for a toss—Rayleigh would bowl first. With the toss settled, he gathered his troops for the opening exchanges of the new campaign.

Abley and S. Verrinder were handed the new ball and began steadily, with the Belhus openers adopting a watchful and measured approach, as is often the case early in the season. Abley struck first, tempting the batsman with a short ball that he couldn’t resist, resulting in a top edge to Keane at square leg.

Buoyed by the breakthrough, Abley continued with the short stuff, although the remaining opener seemed more comfortable against it. Calls of “pitch it up” from the slip cordon were duly noted, and a remarkable slower ball—one that dipped and spun, according to the umpire—earned Abley his second wicket.

The openers were eventually replaced, but without success, as Blake (114) and Khan (49) settled in and began to build a strong partnership. Then came the inspirational change: fifth team captain Smith, who had been quietly stationed at third man, caught the skipper’s eye and was thrown the ball. He made an immediate impact, bowling Khan with a beauty before quickly adding a second wicket. Claiming he wanted to give others a chance—and not because a burly 16-year-old had just walked to the crease—Smith ended his spell.

Blake and Sinfield (66), sensing 210 wouldn’t be enough, went on the rampage in the final eight overs. Offer finally claimed the wicket his earlier spell had deserved, catching Blake off his own bowling, before Keane had Sinfield caught in the deep by Turnbull. A run out off the final ball accounted for another, and Belhus closed on 270 for 7. Abley and Smith were the pick of the bowlers, returning 2-21 and 2-46 respectively….

Time for the first chase of the season—and it started poorly. Belhus, well aware of the nuances of their own pitch, opened with a spinner. Keane edged his second delivery to the keeper as the ball skidded through low.

Harmsworth (17) joined Turnbull (5), and the pair looked relatively untroubled—until Turnbull reached the spinner’s end, where he lasted just two balls. The skipper and Harmy began rebuilding, looking to lay a platform for the hitters waiting in the hutch, and made steady progress for six overs. However, the introduction of a new spinner saw Harmy undone immediately.

McDonagh (11) struck a couple of crisp shots through gully and produced a lovely cover drive, but despite looking composed, he kept picking out fielders—and eventually picked out one too many. S. Verrinder became the second duck of the innings, falling to spin, and Offer went one better than Keane—departing first ball.

Littler (10*), coming in at eight due to back spasms and hip issues, survived the hat-trick ball and showed his intent by crunching a four on the next delivery. But a big partnership wasn’t to be. M. Verrinder (37) was eventually caught after a well-crafted and patient knock, and the final three wickets fell cheaply, leaving Littler stranded as Rayleigh were bowled out for 105. Nine of the ten wickets fell to spin—perhaps an early-season focus for the nets!

All in all, it wasn’t a bad outing with the ball, and it was great to shake off the early-season cobwebs. Unfortunately, the batting didn’t quite click on the day. On to next week, with a chance to make those final preparations before the league season gets underway.

Rayleigh welcomed Belhus to Rawreth Lane, with Dave Archer captaining his first game for the club. Due to the Easter bank holiday and limited availability, Rayleigh fielded a weakened side, and the toss was uncontested—Belhus elected to bat first.

The visitors began steadily, with the brother-and-sister opening pair picking off runs from some errant pre-season bowling. Afra Mohamed (16) was the first to fall in the 12th over, under-edging through to the keeper off the bowling of Cameron Mantle. Aftab Mohamed followed shortly after for 39, bowled through the gate by a well-disguised slower ball from Tom Godfrey.

Unfortunately for Rayleigh, the Belhus batters soon found their rhythm, putting on nearly a hundred for the next wicket. The breakthrough came in the 27th over when Adam Dudmish edged behind off Ryan Hart. With Ware (51*), Read (50*), and Blake (50*) all retiring not out, Belhus continued to pile on the runs. Aaron Mayfield claimed a deserved late wicket, but the damage had been done, and Belhus closed on 242-4 from their 40 overs.

The wickets were shared among the bowlers, all of whom put in a solid effort, with Tom Godfrey (5-0-24-1) standing out…

Rayleigh began their reply positively, with James Balkwill (16) and Terry Martin (13) looking assured against some sharp bowling from the River Crouch end. However, what followed was a trademark Rayleigh CC collapse. Martin was the first to go, trapped LBW on the back foot, and Mark Bailey followed the very next ball, also falling LBW.

Balkwill, who had looked composed against disciplined bowling, was next to depart—falling to a soft dismissal as he spooned a catch to square leg. Only Mike Mayfield (15) and Ryan Hart (15) offered any real resistance, but against accurate and persistent bowling from the Belhus attack, Rayleigh were eventually bowled out for 109 in just 33 overs.