Scorecard

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI v Rayleigh 2 on Sat 23 Aug 2025 at 1.00pm
Purleigh CC Won by 137 runs

Match report PURLEIGH'S HIGH FLYERS REACH FOR THE SKY

As if to predict the outcome of the day's events, the cricketers were treated to a fly-past from the Red Arrows at the start of the game, followed by aerobatics from a Hurricane and formation flying by five bi-planes from Stow Maries airfield. Purleigh duly obliged with a thumping win over Rayleigh 2nds while High Easter did us a favour by overcoming Brookweald to leave Purleigh uncatchable in next week's season finale, confirmed as champions of Division 3 with a game to go.

Put in to bat, Purleigh raced off the runway with a series of boundaries as Chris Freegard and Josh Taylor hit 57 from the first seven overs. Taylor holed out two balls later, and Dan Oliver probably felt like it was his darkest hour after patting back the next three balls, then mis-cueing the fourth to midwicket, now 57 for 2 after eight overs and Rayleigh hoping to find a gap in the Purleigh defences. But Jordan Oliver settled in for a long sortie with the captain, together adding 172 in 28.5 overs before Jordan was caught and returned to base for a valuable 59 (11 fours). Meanwhile, Chris had continued to pepper the boundary and was 139 not out when Ranjan joined him at the crease. Ranj's engines were well and truly fired-up as he machine-gunned a rapid 48 in 20 balls, blitzing six sixes, 69 added in 5.3 overs with Purleigh ace Chris, who fell next with 158 (27 fours, 4 sixes) to his name, propelling Purleigh to 298 for 4 with 2.4 overs left. To their credit, Rayleigh had not headed for the air-raid shelter, but stuck at their task picking up two more wickets. Jai Patel had to enter the fray to face the final delivery and promptly smashed it for six, taking Purleigh to an unassailable-looking 323 for 6 from their 45 overs, and a win predicted on the radar.

Jai started with a maiden and a wicket-maiden as the Rayleigh tactic was to target Matt at the other end. But Matt struck back with two victims in this mini dogfight to make it 47 for 3 in the 15th over, as the visitors fell further behind the required run rate. Shahid removed skipper Nolde for 66, later snaring two more wickets. Melvin bowled his 9 overs conceding only 15 runs, Chris took two, with a catch by Ed Oliver meaning that four out of the five Purleigh catches were held by a different Oliver. Once again, Purleigh could not take the final wicket, and Rayleigh ended on 186 for 9, a home win by 137 runs. A celebratory visit to the Bell ensued, hopefully nobody left legless. On to next week for the battle of Brookweald, which should be notably less tasty with nothing hanging on the result.

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 5w 10b 5lb 
for 6 wickets
22
323		        
Christian Freegard b Peppiat 158 27 4
Josh Taylor ct Balkwill b. Mantle 18 4
Dan Oliver ct Cox b. Mantle 0 1
Jordan Oliver ct Walker b. Peppiat 59 11 1
Ranjan Gulati ct Nolde b. Peppiat 48 1 6
Melvin John ct Skillet b. Peppiat 6
Mark Rynn Not Out  6
Jai Patel Not Out  6 1
Matt Oliver   1
Shahid Yasin  
Ed Oliver   1

Rayleigh 2 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
S. Prasad9.006700.007.44
J. Mantle6.0321210.503.50
N. Green9.005300.005.89
R. Hart7.013600.005.14
S. Skillet7.007200.0010.29
T. Peppiat7.0059414.758.43

Rayleigh 2 Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
8b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
9
186 (45.0 overs)		     
J. Balkwill b Patel 0
R. Nolde ct J. Oliver b. Yasin 66
M. Walker ct and bowled M. Oliver 0
A. Barker ct Gulati b. M. Oliver 8
D. Cox ct D. Oliver b. Freegard 27
R. Hart b Yasin 10
S. Skillet Not Out  45
T. Peppiat lbw Yasin 0
S. Prasad b Patel 6
J. Mantle ct E. Oliver b. Freegard 15
N. Green Not Out  0

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jai Patel9.0228214.003.11
Matt Oliver9.0152226.005.78
Melvin John9.031500.001.67
Shahid Yasin9.0038312.674.22
Christian Freegard8.0130215.003.75
Mark Rynn1.001400.0014.00