Rye discover winning formula

Craig Pierce took 4-14 in Rye Cricket Club's victory at home to Hellingly on Saturday

Seventh-placed Rye chalked up their second Sussex Cricket League Division Four win of the season with a 64-run success over second-bottom Hellingly.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, Dan Seabrook (20) and Neil Browne (32) got Rye off to a reasonable start with an opening partnership of 43.

Despite a run-a-ball 33 from the in-form Jackson Woodcock, Rye drifted to 115-7 before useful lower order contributions from Mickey Toomey (28), Harry Smeed (14) and Craig Pierce (10 not out) got the hosts up to 172 all out.

Hellingly also began fairly well in reply with an opening partnership of 44, but they crumbled from 74-1 to 108 all out as none of the final eight batsmen reached double figures.

Pierce returned excellent figures of 4-14 from 11.3 overs, six of which were maidens. Smeed claimed 4-37 off 12 and Gary Willis took 2-20 off eight.

See Friday’s Rye Observer for a full report.

Standings (all played eight matches): 1 Steyning 220pts, 2 Henfield 172, 3 Slinfold 150, 4 Wisborough Green 143, 5 Portslade 140, 6 Crawley 122, 7 RYE 114, 8 Keymer & Hassocks 96, 9 Hellingly 77, 10 Lewes Priory 60.