Scorecard

Rayne v Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI on Sat 21 Aug 2021 at 1.00
Purleigh CC Won by 23 runs

Match report SINGING IN THE RAYNE...

We're singing in the Rayne
What a glorious feeling
Purleigh winning again...

The Purleigh boys arrived at Rayne knowing that a win would secure the T. Rippon Mid-Essex League Division 5 title. Frustratingly, rain delayed the start and reduced the match to 37 overs each.

Purleigh won the toss and elected to bat first. After the early loss of Josh Taylor for a rare first-baller, Christian Freegard and Mark Rynn put on 34 until the former stretched too far forward and was well stumped by the Rayne keeper for 26. This was after young JJ had checked from the boundary that it was ok to start on the Freegard doughnut stash! Next man in Andy Bowles, making a welcome return to strengthen the batting, anchored the innings with a classy top score of 57 including seven fours. Jordan Oliver was the victim of a 'drinks break wicket' at 79 for 4, nicking off for 0 to the first ball after the restart, but at least he faced more balls than opener Josh. Silver fox Bowlesy and Matt Oliver then built the best partnership of the Purleigh innings, adding 41 before Matt was caught at cover trying to push the score on. The hope of quick runs was slightly dampened by the first-ball run out of Jathin Bathla in a mix-up with Jai Patel, who made amends with his third consecutive valuable innings, this week hitting 37 not out from 20 balls with three sixes, well supported by Melvin John and Steve Rynn to finish the innings on 177 for 8.

After a damp tea, Rayne made a steady reply, batting carefully to deny Purleigh early wickets and reaching the drinks break at 65 for 0 after 19 overs. But the visitors were unperturbed, having won games before from similar situations, and soon took their first wicket when Josh Taylor held an excellent catch on the boundary to dismiss the Rayne skipper off the bowling of Christian Freegard for 43. The Rayne number 3 wasted no time making his intentions clear, smacking his second ball for 6 and then hitting a couple of fours as the situation required. A second six over the clubhouse raised Jai Patel's hackles enough to bowl him a short wide one, but luckily the batsman pinged it straight to point where green-fingered Matt Oliver held the catch before he even had time to worry about dropping it. At 114 for 3 with ten overs left the match was there for either side to win. But further excellent coolly-taken catches in the deep by Freegard and Bathla swung things in Purleigh's favour after a couple of big hits from the Rayne number 7 with a Mongoose bat. Patel and Freegard both hit the stumps to end the Rayne innings on 154, Purleigh winning by 23 runs in a tense finish.

Hero Jai Patel was man-of-the-match for the third consecutive game, following his batting success with bowling figures of 10 overs, 4 for 51. Chris Freegard returned figures of 6.3 overs, 4 for 39 while Matt Oliver and Melvin John kept things tight with 10 overs, 2 maidens, 0 for 29 and 7 overs, 1 maiden, 0 for 29 respectively.

Post-match celebrations were relatively muted in the knowledge that Purleigh had squeaked a win against nine players, but 24 points ensures that promotion as Division 5 winners is guaranteed with a game to spare and a chance to make it ten wins on the spin next week. Your correspondent forgot to pay his match fee in the rush to get home for a family visit, where the suggestion that Matt Oliver might have paid up for him was met with huge hilarity and jokes about large moths spotted at Rayne cricket ground!

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 6w 1lb 
for 8 wickets
8
177		        
Christian Freegard st R. Whiteside b. M. Ayres 26 5 1
Josh Taylor b D. Bull 0 1
Mark Rynn ct and bowled b. D. Bull 20 1
Andy Bowles ct M. Ali b. D. Fielding 57 7
Jordan Oliver ct R. Whiteside b. D.Bull 0
Matt Oliver ct B. Reeve b. D. Fielding 18 1
Jai Patel Not Out  37 3
Jatin Bathla Run out  0 1
Melvin John ct R. Whiteside b. M. Ali 8
Steve Rynn Not Out  3
Ed Oliver  

Rayne Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
M. Ayers10.0130130.003.00
D. Bull10.0152317.335.20
D. Fielding9.0069234.507.67
M. Ali8.0125125.003.12

Rayne Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 3w 2b 5lb 
for 10 wickets
11
154 (34.3 overs)		     
R. Whiteside ct J. Taylor b. C. Freegard 43
M. Ayers b J. Patel 35
R. Mehboob ct M. Oliver b. J. Patel 23
R. Braziet b C. Freegard 9
M. Ali ct C. Freegard b. J. Patel 12
K. English b J. Patel 6
D. Fielding ct J. Bathla b. C. Freegard 11
D. Bull Not Out  1
B. Reeve b C. Freegard 0
A. N. Other  
A. N. Other  

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jai Patel10.0051412.755.10
Matt Oliver10.022900.002.90
Melvin John7.012900.004.14
Christian Freegard6.303949.756.00