Rayleigh’s senior sides enjoyed a strong weekend on the pitch, securing four wins from six fixtures. Much of Saturday’s narrative centred on a series of matchups against Great Totham; while the 1st and 2nd XIs both produced comprehensive performances to secure valuable league points, the 6th XI fell just short of completing a clean sweep in a close five-run defeat.
This Week’s Fixtures & Results
It’s already been a busy week at the Club, with youth games and Evening League action.
The Evening League XI beat Rettendon by 6 wickets, with Sam Keene (44*) leading the scoring and Dave Archer (3/16) picking up wickets.
The U15s beat Eastwood at Belfair’s park on Tuesday, but came up short against Leigh-on-Sea on Wednesday.
Although not strictly this week, the U13s put on a show on Sunday, bowling out OS&S for 44 before chasing down the total in under seven overs for the loss of only three wickets! Well done to all involved.
The Women’s team managed to record an excellent first victory of the season on Friday night, winning by 21 runs.
Player of the Week
There were some exceptional performances from the across the Club last week, but Richard Nolde was in another class and picks up the K9ology Player of the Week award.
Nolde put on an absolute clinic with the bat against Great Totham, blasting a phenomenal 98 runs off just 61 deliveries. Falling agonisingly short of a well-deserved century (and recording yet another jug avoidance), his explosive innings featured a massive 15 fours and 6 huge sixes to finish with a stellar 161 strike rate. An unforgettable display of power hitting to see chase down 231 in under 26 overs. Well played, Richard – a true captains innings!
Week ThREE LEague Summary
The Club managed to secure another excellent round of results in the league, with four wins. You can view the full scorecards, along with a summary of our top performers, below.
Highest Scores
Best Bowling
Match Reports
Rain stays away for Rayleigh to Reign supreme
Rayleigh 1st XI vs. Great Totham 1st XI | Won by 5 Wickets | Mid Essex League Division One
Rayleigh 1st XI delivered a strong all-round performance in their clash with Great Totham, producing a game full of key contributions with both bat and ball.
After winning the toss, the skipper elected to bowl first, with an eye on the sky, and the weather app on his phone. With rain due in the middle of the first innings, he put it to his bowlers to make early inroads. Opening pair Verrinder and Siva obliged with great control to stem the run flow and get reward with wickets. 2 a-piece had the visitors struggling at 30-4, and after their spells had finished, Totham were a little over 50 in 18 overs. Opening batter Hawkridge (56) survived, and with Mutton (58), put on a handy stand of 80 for the 5th wicket which was aided with some friendly fielding. Mihir was wily once again in the middle overs and kept the batsman honest, but the introduction of Turnbull brought about the 2 key wickets first of Hawkridge and then Mutton before they could accelerate and push Totham to a decent score. Jim Gregory (48*) looked to push the team past 200 but good death bowling for a second week running curtailed his chance. 197-7 was competitive but manageable on a good fourth match track. Pick of the bowlers were Verrinder 2-23 and Siva 2-27, supported well by Turnbull 2-37 and Patel 1-36.
In response, Rayleigh’s lost an early wicket but started well with a run rate north of 5 established quickly which they were generally able to maintain throughout the innings. Totham tried to apply early pressure but Osbourn (52) and Lynch (16) chipped away at the required total and then Cook (35) continued his good form to get the score past 100. Totham responded either side of drinks with the wickets of Cook and Osbourn to just put the breaks on Rayleigh’s canter to the finish line. The 2 new bats found it tough with some tight bowling and good fielding in the next few overs and M Verrinder succumbed. Harmsworth (31*) and Turnbull (23*) were able to anchor the chase in the latter stages with some good running between the wickets to keep the runs flowing and a couple of Turnbull thumps to reach the target in the 39th over, thankfully 5 minutes before the rain came. Pick of the bowlers were Wheeler with 3-36 from his 9 overs.
The key match points for Rayleigh this week were the early bowling success reducing Great Totham to 30-4 which they never truly recovered, Turnbull getting the wickets of 2 set batsmen later in the innings, Osbourn’s half century giving Rayleigh a platform and Harmy and Turnbull’s unbeaten partnership ensuring a calm finish.
This was a confident display from Rayleigh, with contributions across the side highlighting the team’s depth. With both batting resilience and disciplined bowling on show, the result reflects a strong overall performance that can be carried forward in the weeks to come.
Player of the Match was Jake Osbourn, his 52 at the top of the order set up the chase and provided the stability Rayleigh needed to bring home the win.
By Robert “Achilles” Littler
2nd Team Topple Totham in Dismissive Display
Great Totham 2nd XI vs. Rayleigh 2nd XI | Won by 7 Wickets | Mid Essex League Division Four
The 2nd team made the journey to the idyllic Bull Meadow to face off against Great Totham. Captain Nolde won the toss and put the opposition in to bat, on what looked like a low and slow pitch.
Rayleigh started well, with Mayfield (1/30) and Godfrey (3/42) bowling with good control and making the most of what the pitch had to offer. Rob Hewer (87) and Simon Tabb (40) were the only real resistance in the Totham line up, aided by some woeful bowling from the Deputy Chairman Peps, which saw one over get carted for 18 runs. Nick Green (2/20) was efficient as always, supported by debutant Sarath Kotamarthi, keeping the run rate in check and allowing Ryan Hart (3/42) to pick up the remaining wickets – leaving the home side on 232/3.
In reply, Rayleigh’s best form of defence was attack. The openers, Richard Nolde and Bala Rajagopal, but on 177 for the first wicket before the former was caught attempting to add to his already boundary ladened innings. Nolde sadly followed a few overs later for an incredible 98 from only 61 balls. Once the slow bowlers came on, Jess Walker (43*) was able to continue the onslaught and saw Rayleigh home – chasing down to the total in under 26 overs for the loss of only three wickets.
Theydon Thrash the Threes
Theydon Bois 2nd XI vs. Rayleigh 3rd XI | Lost by 173 Runs | Mid Essex League Division Six
The 3rd XI made the long journey to the Buxton Trust Ground to take on an in-form Theydon Bois 2nd team.
Scogings won the toss and elected to field first on an overcast afternoon. Unfortunately, Theydon managed to put on 271/5, aided by some lose bowling and dropped catches. Sangeet Prasad and Geoff Morgan kept the openers in check and bowled with good line and length, and despite two wickets each for Kalpesh Patel and Aaron Mayfield, Theydon kept finding gaps.
With a large total to chase, Rayleigh started watchfully. Despite some resistance from Neil Noble (37*), no other Rayleigh batter was able to join in and Rayleigh were bowled out for 98 in 32 overs.
The 3rd team go again next week against Springfield and will look to bounce back.
Another Strong Showing by the 4th Team
Rayleigh 4th XI vs. SOSEMT 4th XI | Won by 7 Wickets | Mid Essex League Division Ten
The Rayleigh 4s made it three wins from three with a commanding victory over SOSEMT, continuing their excellent start to the season with another strong all-round performance. The day began in familiar fashion, with skipper Smith maintaining his perfect record at the toss – three losses from three – and Rayleigh were sent into the field. SOSEMT came out aggressively, finding the boundary regularly and racing out of the blocks with intent.
However, the momentum soon shifted. Offer struck twice to halt the early charge, while Shri and Chloe chipped in with a wicket apiece to leave the opposition at 100-4 at the halfway stage. With the innings delicately poised, the skipper turned to the dependable spin partnership of Wright and himself to tighten the screws. Both bowlers hit their areas consistently, starving the batters of scoring opportunities and applying relentless pressure. The pair conceded short of three runs an over across their spells while taking two wickets each, leaving SOSEMT struggling to build any momentum as they closed on 158-8.
One of the highlights of the innings came from Smith’s very first delivery, which produced a towering top edge that looked destined to be a wicket – until the keeper, unsighted by the sun and helmet, toppled forwards “like a 200-year-old oak tree in slow motion” and somehow failed to hold the catch. A moment that brought plenty of amusement to everyone watching.
Chasing 158, Rayleigh got off to a mixed start. Terry blasted a quick-fire 22 before somehow managing to glove the ball back onto his own stumps in unfortunate fashion. With wickets falling around him, Rayleigh found themselves wobbling at 37-3 and the game briefly looked in the balance. What followed was an absolute counterattack. Wright and Offer combined superbly to take the game away from SOSEMT with a match-winning unbeaten partnership of 123. Wright anchored the innings calmly with an assured 41 not out from 53 balls, allowing Offer to unleash. Offer finished unbeaten on 78 from just 39 deliveries, striking at 200 and sending the ball to all parts of the old ground. The partnership included 12 fours, 6 sixes and four lost balls.
Rayleigh wrapped up victory in just the 23rd over, finishing on 160-3 and sealing a comfortable seven-wicket win to make it a hat-trick of victories to start the season. Another outstanding team performance from the 4s, who now head to Ilford Catholics next week full of confidence.
The big question remains: can the skipper lose another toss and somehow make it four wins from four?
Eastwood Blown Over at Belfair’s
Eastwood 3rd XI vs. Rayleigh 5th XI | Won by 130 Runs | Mid Essex League Division Eleven
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Rayleigh CC 5th XI put on an impressive batting display to post a commanding total of 206-9 from their allocated 40 overs. The innings was anchored by an excellent half-century from Duncan Baldwin, who scored a hard-fought 51 runs off 66 balls, including 6 fours. Wicketkeeper Mark Bailey provided fantastic top-order support with a crucial 41 runs. Vital contributions down the order from Riley Hughes (26 runs) and Stephen Rothon (24 runs) ensured Rayleigh comfortably pushed past the 200-run milestone.
Defending their total, Rayleigh’s bowling unit turned the game into a complete rout, tearing through the Eastwood CC line-up and bowling them out for only 76 runs in just 31.3 overs. Riley Hughes and Tom Barker started well with economical spells, while Oliver Milchard (2/6) and Luke Gould (3/7) tore through the top and middle order. Ben James (4/14) managed to take apart the remaining lower order batters.
Where is the milk?! – Phil Wolff, 16th May 2026
Rayleigh 6th XI vs. Great Totham 4th XI | Lost by 5 Runs | Mid Essex League Division Twelve
Rayleigh’s bowling unit had to work hard, but they put in a stellar performance to dismiss the visitors for 187 all out in 38.3 overs. Joshua Rockenbach was the star with the ball, tearing through the opposition’s line-up to finish with fantastic figures of 3 wickets for just 20 runs off his 8 overs. He got some great support from Sam Levett, who picked up 2 wickets for 30 runs in his 6-over spell , and Robin Peppiatt, who battled through a full 8 overs to claim 2 wickets for 41 runs. Arvin Ghataura and Thomas O’Sullivan kept the pressure high at the other end, picking up a wicket apiece to help clean up the tail and wrap up the Great Totham innings.
With the first half of the match in the books, the teams headed in for tea, which brought its own locker-room drama. Down the scorecard, Rayleigh’s Philip Wolff was listed in the line-up but didn’t end up getting a chance to bat. Word from the pavilion is that his afternoon was made significantly more stressful by a desperate, and ultimately unsuccessful, safari through the clubhouse just to find a splash of milk for his tea.
Chasing a target of 188 for victory, Rayleigh’s top order got the reply off to a steady start. Brad Walker anchored the response brilliantly with 60 runs, while his partner Dave Turner posted a composed 55 runs of his own. The chase was further aided by a massive windfall of 51 extras gifted by Great Totham’s bowling attack. For a long time, Rayleigh looked well positioned to cruise home. However, as the overs ticked away, Great Totham managed to choke the scoring. Despite an incredibly valiant effort, Rayleigh ultimately ran out of deliveries, finishing their 40 overs just five runs short at 182-4. It was an agonisingly close finish, resulting in a narrow victory for Great Totham – a loss Rayleigh will no doubt learn from in the future.
