Rye back to form with convincing victory

Harry Smeed’s side hit back after successive losses with a five-wicket win at home to Rottingdean in 1st Central Sussex Cricket League Division Three East.

In a match sponsored by My Sweet Old Etcetera, Smeed lost the toss and Rye were asked to bowl on a green-looking wicket.

See also: * Former Hastings ace plays in World Cup* Hastings beaten despite Hooper hundred* Johnson shines as Bexhill record back-to-back winsRye got off to the perfect start with Altaf Ahmed (2-22) claiming a wicket off the second ball of the Rottingdean innings. Ahmed and Tobias Farrow (3-20) bowled in a perfect partnership to reduce Rottingdean to 36-5.

There was a brief recovery, but the Rottingdean innings never really got going. James Smeed (1-33) grabbed the prized wicket of Henry Ledden for five, and when Martin Blincow (2-32) and Harry Smeed (2-29) came on, the runs dried up and wickets fell.

Rottingdean ended up being all out for 138, extras top-scoring with 41.

Rye again got off to the perfect start with the bat as Harry Smeed (27) and James Hamilton (18) put on 50 for the first wicket.

A mini-collapse allowed Rottingdean back into the game at 98-5, but Rye Concepts man of the match Farrow smashed the ball to all parts in a quickfire 34 not out to see Rye home to a fantastic win, concluding a great team performance.

Seventh-placed Rye will travel to leaders Seaford this coming Saturday looking for a similar performance and result.

1st Central Sussex Cricket League Division Three East standings (all played 5 matches): 1 Seaford 123pts, 2 Preston Nomads II 122, 3 BEXHILL 112, 4 Portslade 95, 5 Brighton & Hove II 84, 6 Crawley Eagles 83, 7 RYE 82, 8 Eastbourne II 77, 9 Rottingdean 77, 10 HASTINGS PRIORY II 46.