Weekly Round Up: Mid Season Edition

Welcome to a special mid season edition of the Rayleigh CC Weekly Round Up Newsletter. We hope you have been enjoying the updates throughout the season. If you don’t receive this newsletter directly via our mailing list, please consider signing up below.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to this publication – including our captains for providing match reports and Andy Thurogood for live streaming our games which enables some great content members to watch back.

If you would like to support with future newsletters, or any other jobs in the club, please do email tom@rayleighcc.com.

As we reach the halfway point in the season it’s fair to say we have experienced mixed fortunes on the field as a club. Whilst 1’s, 5’s & 6’s have positioned themselves well with good runs of form, the 2’s, 3’s, & 4’s are in relegation fights to stay in their divisions and have been affected by poor availability. They are certainly not out of touch with other strugglers and a few wins will make a difference, so all to play for as we welcome back some of our younger players for the back nine.

Congratulations to the many centurions and wicket takers we have seen over the past 9 weeks, many milestones have been reached and there have been some superb individual performances, too many to mention.

Pleasingly, the colts teams have played many games with some excellent performances, which is testament to the hard work that Andrew Barker and the managers are putting in. I’ve enjoyed my Sunday morning dog walks taking in some of the action at the home grounds, it’s really encouraging to see the progress being made amongst the age groups. It has also been encouraging to see many of our colts making positive contributions in adult cricket, scoring runs, taking wickets and being real assets to their respective teams. The future looks bright!

Mid-week the vets welcomed back Colin Major to the fold and have continued to enjoy the ‘Smithy’ teas! The matches have been well supported by many members as they heckle from the clubhouse, unsurprisingly the tea is of a much higher quality than the cricket on display!

The ladies team have settled in after the temporary merger with Maldon, well done to Lou Jowers (was Harmsworth) and the squad for playing a few games and making it happen.

Socials have been well supported and the bar has become busier as the sun has shone through June. Despite the mixed results, the atmosphere has been excellent and it’s great to see the club coming together. Off the field, the committee are busy and continue to work on plans to improve and secure the future of the club and facilities.

Enjoy the second half of the season!

We’re looking for young members to help shape the future of the club! This is a fantastic opportunity to represent the youth section, share your ideas, and make sure we’re heading in the right direction for the years ahead.

The commitment is simple: just give up a little time once a month to attend committee meetings and contribute your thoughts on how the club is run. It’s a great way to get involved, build confidence, and learn more about what happens behind the scenes.

It’s also a brilliant addition to your CV or college/university applications, showing leadership, teamwork and community involvement.

If you’re interested in being a youth representative — or would like to find out more — please get in touch by emailing Ben & Tom via chairman@rayleighcc.com. We’d love to hear from you!

We’re excited to announce plans for a proper old-school cricket tour in Norfolk, August 2026, with friendly fixtures, tour shirts & baggie caps, golf for the non-players, and plenty of social nights.

We’re trying to keep costs low and will sort travel and accommodation.

Keen to play, watch, or just enjoy the week? Click here to find out more and register your interest — or email social@rayleighcc.com if you’d like to help organise or would like more information.

We’re thrilled to announce our Annual Awards Night will take place on Saturday 11th October 2025 at the Doug Insole Pavilion, Essex CCC — thanks to a brilliant new partnership.

Expect a fresh format with more time to socialise and dance, plus a special club yearbook programme for all guests. We’re also looking at coach or minibus travel from Rayleigh to make it easy for everyone.

The pricing for tickets will be confirmed in the next few weeks and will go on sale at the end of July 2025.

📅 Mark your calendars and click here to read more — we can’t wait to celebrate the season with you!

We’re just over halfway through the season, and here’s how our teams are shaping up in their respective divisions. The 1st XI are holding strong in mid-table with some important wins under their belt, while the 5th and 6th XIs are flying high in the top four of their leagues — a fantastic effort so far.

It’s been a challenging run for a few of our sides, but there’s still plenty of cricket to be played and chances to climb the tables. There’s very little points difference between 10th place and a mid-table spot in Divisions 3, 6, and 9 — so a couple of wins could quickly lift each team into a much stronger position.

Our batting stats tell a strong story so far this season, with seven players already topping 200 runs, standout contributions like James Ellis’s 192 and Samuel Verrinder’s remarkable 164.67 strike rate, and consistent efforts across the board keeping our line-ups competitive.

Our bowlers have been just as impressive, with Sangeet Prasad leading the way on 21 wickets at a superb economy of 2.86, while Samuel Verrinder, Andy Long, and Ian Turnbull have put in great efforts with crucial five-wicket hauls to keep the pressure on opposition line-ups.

The race for our Fantasy League crown is heating up, with Phil Hammond’s “Five Finger Discount” leading the way on 4,782 points, closely chased by Andy Long and Matthew Walker. With only a few hundred points separating the top five, it’s all to play for as we head into the back nine of the season.

Before diving into the match reports, well done to the U14 Kestrels for picking up a victory at Chelmsford on Sunday. Oli Barker led the charge with superb 78*, supported by Riley Hughes (40). Flyn Barker was the star with the ball, picking up 3 wickets. Well done, lads! View the scorebook here.

Rayleigh CC 1st XI secured a hard-fought 16-run win over Ilford Catholic CC in a run-filled clash at Rawreth Lane. Batting first after losing the toss, Rayleigh piled on 278-4 from their 45 overs, with contributions right through the order. Sam Keene anchored the innings with a patient 52, while James Ellis struck a brisk 49. A late flourish came from Balamurugan Rajagopal (46* off 36) and Samuel Verrinder (46* off just 21) who put on a rapid partnership to push the total beyond 270.

In reply, Ilford Catholic were kept in the hunt by a superb unbeaten 123 from Abdul Wahab. But Rayleigh’s bowlers held their nerve, with Samuel Verrinder starring in a decisive spell of 5-26 from 9 overs. Ian Turnbull picked up two key middle-order wickets, and Greg Hood and Mihir Patel chipped in with one apiece.

Ilford eventually closed on 262-9, handing Rayleigh a valuable 25 points from the contest – and now go six games undeafeted.

On the back of some poor form, Rayleigh 2nd XI made the trip to Great Waltham, seeking a reverse of fortunes. Glimpses of hope began to emerge immediately as skipper Nolde won the toss and inserted Waltham on a flat pitch with a quick outfield.

The Rayleigh bowlers bowled with skill and discipline, keeping the run rate low despite the good batting conditions. The metronomical Skillett built pressure from one end, conceding only 27 runs from his nine overs, which the other bowlers took full advantage of, notably Godfrey (3-29) and Hoskins (2-31). Some late hitting got Waltham up 211, at least a good 30 runs below par.

The Rayleigh innings began quickly, with some very wide bowling from Waltham and clean hitting from Miller. Sean unfortunately fell to the keeper parrying one up to slip and Walker continued the aggression. Walker fell for a well made 24, with Ashworth replacing him. Balkwill and Ashworth turned the good start into a certain victory, putting on 91 for the third wicket to effectively seal the game. Both rode their luck at times: Balkwill was dropped 6 times (yes, six times, as the opposition helpfully counted for us), and Ashworth made good use of all of the bat, but some stylish batting was on display as well. When Balkwill skied one up to the bowler for 61, Mills produced some excellent hitting to get Rayleigh within 6, then some excellent blocking to ensure Ashworth reached the fifty milestone. They ended Mills 18, Ashworth 51; the score chased down in 36 overs. A convincing victory gives the second team some momentum in the battle for survival.

Rayleigh 3rd XI welcomed St Johns Billericay 1st XI to Rawreth Lane on Saturday for their latest Mid Essex League Division 6 fixture. Winning the toss, stand in Rayleigh skipper Neil Noble elected to bat first on what looked a decent track.

Andrew Barker got the innings moving with a solid 29, striking six boundaries, while Noble himself added a handy 26. A couple of starts through the middle order — notably from Joshua Mantle (25) and David Archer (18) — kept Rayleigh in the hunt for a competitive total. Extras also made a healthy contribution (26 in total), but regular wickets meant momentum was hard to sustain. The innings closed on 165 all out in the 43rd over, leaving Rayleigh perhaps 30 runs short of a more comfortable score.

In reply, St Johns started aggressively and put Rayleigh under immediate pressure. Benny Mahoney made the key breakthroughs, picking up 2-36 from his 5.3 overs, while Mantle and Archer each chipped in with a wicket. James Isherwood also produced a run out to briefly lift hopes. However, St Johns’ middle order, led by Hadgraft’s half-century, ensured the visitors reached the target with five wickets in hand and more than 20 overs to spare.

It was a match that showed glimpses of promise for Rayleigh, with the bowlers and fielders working hard against a strong batting lineup. But ultimately, the lack of a big partnership with the bat and a slightly below-par total made the task too tall on the day.

The 4th XI travelled to Margaretting to take on bottom-of-the-table Galleywood 3rd XI, only to find themselves up against a side featuring a few unexpected reinforcements. Skipper Geoff Morgan lost the toss and Rayleigh were asked to bowl first on a good batting track with a lightning-fast outfield.

The captain’s faith in his vice, Tom Peppiatt, looked like it might backfire immediately after he opened with a full toss no-ball. However, Peppiatt (3-38) soon found his rhythm, picking up three key wickets in his 8-over spell. He and Morgan (0-29) kept things tight through the first 16 overs. Andy Long then maintained the squeeze, returning excellent figures of 2-27. There were further wickets for Riley Hughes, Chloe Martin and Mark Callaway, but some heavy hitting down the order saw Galleywood close on an imposing 242-8 from their 40 overs.

In reply, Rayleigh’s chase began brightly. Terry Martin led the way with a fluent 55 off 61 balls, peppering the boundary nine times and clearing it once. Partnering with Duncan Baldwin (a watchful 26), the pair provided a strong platform. After their departures, contributions from Jack Himpfen-Jones (13), Mark Callaway (21) and a lively knock from Peppiatt (31 off just 28 balls, with two fours and three sixes) kept Rayleigh within sight.

Needing over 14 an over in the closing stages, Riley Hughes (14*), Oliver Guinn (14) and Oliver Church (1*) ensured the side batted out the full 40 overs, finishing on 193-7 — a commendable effort that fell just 49 runs short.

While the result rightly went Galleywood’s way on the day, there were plenty of positives for Rayleigh to take away.

Rayleigh 5th XI suffered a heavy 106-run defeat at the hands of Navestock on Saturday, in a game that swung wildly following a promising start for the home side.

Having won the toss and electing to field, Rayleigh made early inroads with disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. For the first 20 overs, the home side looked in control—until utter destruction descended in the form of R. Karrer and an enigmatic batter listed only as “No. 6”.

The pair launched a brutal counterattack, putting on a devastating 175-run partnership. R. Karrer batted with brutal efficiency, finding the boundary with regularity, while the other batter kept scoring runs. Their stand lifted Navestock from a modest start to a daunting 276 for 7, turning the match on its head and leaving Rayleigh with an uphill task.

In reply, Rayleigh’s innings never got out of second gear—largely due to a glacial 50* from Dave Turner. Turner carried his bat through the innings but did so at the speed of a tectonic plate, scoring 50 not out from a share of a 192-ball stand that mustered only 82 runs. While his resilience was commendable, the rest of the order had a mountain to climb with just five overs remaining when the partnership was finally broken.

By then, the required rate had soared well beyond reach. Late efforts from the middle and lower order were too little, too late, as Rayleigh crawled to 170 for 5 at the close of innings.

Like the ageing duo of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood duetting on the Worthy Farm fields of Glastonbury, the 6th XI didn’t quite hit the right notes this weekend and for the second consecutive Saturday, were found wanting in the heat, as they suffered back to back defeats.

This latest setback was in an “away” fixture, played at Rawreth Lane, against the homeless Oaklands following the local Danbury Council’s decision to suspend all cricket in the village, after a member of the public was allegedly hit by a cricket ball. Alternatively, they might just want the land to build new houses!

Anyway, back to the cricket. Rayleigh won the toss and opted to bat. After Simon Lennox fell cheaply in the second over, the two Steve’s (Adams and Rothon) pushed the score on to 50 before Adams fell for a quick fire 24 from 25 balls. Ray Hart joined Rothon in the middle and both bats put together a 72-run partnership before the second Steve was clean bowled by Jamie Ayris for 56.

As partners came and went, captain Hart held the innings together to finish on 71 not out, out of a total of 211 for 6 from 40 overs.

Oaklands began their innings in aggressive fashion and were soon ahead of the required rate. In truth they were aided by some poor fielding and expensive bowling by Rayleigh. The normal 6th team bowling squeeze didn’t materialise and the home team, playing away, paced their run chase to perfection.

I’d like to say “Some Guys Have All The Luck” but that would be unkind to Oaklands opening bat Dave Jennings who’s brilliant knock of 97 not out guided his team to a deserved victory with just three balls left.

So at the halfway stage of the season, while we’re not “Sailing” to the top of the table, the 6s find themselves in joint third place in Division 11, on 148 points, just 21 points behind leaders Willow Herbs. We’ve won five and lost three games, with one abandoned due to rain.

The “Young Turks,” sorry, colts in the team have performed very well with the help and guidance of experienced adults. There have also been some eventful moments, not least Arvin getting taken out on the boundary by Duncan Bond at Galleywood and captain Ray Hart realising “The First Cut Is The Deepest” when the cricket ball smacked him in the face while fielding against SOSEMT.

On the downside, all rounders Steve Adams and Duncan Bond have tried to remain “Forever Young” but have both missed several games with ongoing knee injuries, that look like restricting them further into the season. As for losing key players to higher teams “I Don’t Wanna, Talk About It.”

Another Sunday, another scorcher. The captain was under pressure going into the toss, the prospect of 3 hours fielding in the heat was universally unpopular with the team. Toss won, bat first; the captain’s only meaningful contribution to the game done and dusted early doors.

A new opening pair of James Balkwill and Ryan Hart got us off to a good start, before James top edged a pull to backward square. Dave Turner, Jake Ashworth and Sam Harmsworth all made starts, but the opposition kept chipping away with regular wickets, with Ryan also falling for a well made 34. Enter Steve Lynch and Sam Keene, and exit all hope from the fielding side.

What followed was a mix of ball placement, proactive running and pure brutality as the pair took to their task with glee.
Steve Lynch retired on 104* from just 54 balls, hitting 16 fours and four sixes. Sam Keene also retired 50* having run the fielders ragged. A 9 ball cameo from Cal Mayfield for his 27* took us to the astonishing total of 302-7 in our 40 overs.

After tea, the oppo came out and attacked from the outset, with their opener scoring a brisk 50 as wickets proved hard to come by. Pace off brought the breakthrough as Josh Rockenbach took the first of what would be a pivotal FIVE wickets! With disciplined bowling from Olly Milchard at the other end for his 3 wickets, the chase soon faltered. Balkwill delivered the final blow and the opposition were all out for 196 in 30 overs.

It’s an absolute pleasure to captain team performances like this, with so many people contributing and young players excelling.