Hythe Cricket & Squash Club

13/06/2026

🏏 HYTHE EDGE ANOTHER THRILLER! 🏏

If cricket matches were judged on drama alone, this one would have won by a mile.

After winning the toss and electing to field, Hythe set about restricting Faversham, eventually bowling them out for 212 in 43.4 overs. The standout performance came from Bobby Rumley, who ripped through the middle order with a magnificent 5 wickets, while Sam Lancaster claimed 2 wickets and Grant Channon, Charlie Rumley, and Matt Ford all chipped in with one a piece.

It wasn’t just about wickets either. Troy Harding kept things tight through a marathon 9-over spell, while the whole side stuck at it in the field, helping keep Faversham to a chaseable total.

In reply, Matt Ford produced the innings of the day, compiling a superb 89 runs from 104 balls, peppering the boundary with 9 fours and 2 sixes. At one stage he looked set to steer Hythe home almost single-handedly.

But cricket rarely follows the script.

Useful contributions from Bobby Rumley (28) and Sam Lancaster (22) helped keep the scoreboard moving, but a flurry of wickets suddenly turned a comfortable-looking chase into a nail-biting finish.

Step forward Troy Harding.

With the pressure cranked up and Faversham sensing an unlikely victory, Harding smashed an unbeaten 30 from just 20 balls, including two huge sixes, to drag Hythe towards the target. Alongside him, Lee Hanson’s 13, Luke Bingham’s determined 11, and the calm presence of Cameron Potter, who remained unbeaten at the end, proved just as valuable as every run suddenly became priceless.

Eventually, with one wicket standing and plenty of fingernails missing around the boundary, Hythe crossed the line on 218-9, securing an unforgettable 1-wicket victory.

📊 Match Highlights:
🏏 M Ford – 89
🏏 T Harding – 30* (20)
🏏 B Rumley – 28 & 5 wickets
🏏 S Lancaster – 22 & 2 wickets
🏏 Every single player contributing when it mattered most

18 points in the bag, another chapter added to the Hythe CC rollercoaster, and a reminder that doing things the easy way simply isn’t our style.

10/06/2026

Is there a teacher who inspires, supports, encourages your child to play sport? Young players at Hythe have some brilliant teachers doing a brilliant job - often running sports activities outside of school hours in their own time. How about sending a free thank you card on Thank a Teacher Day, 17th June to let that teacher know they are appreciated?

Find out how you can get ready for National Thank a Teacher Day on June 18th. Download our free resources, social assets, and fun activities.

03/06/2026

It's 3.15pm on a Wednesday afternoon at the Club. It's raining, a seagull is strewing rubbish around a bin, and a drain is blocked in the car park. Then, walk into the Club and hear this:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAHLhzt_g_Q/oOTPytugMeXmyUN_qs_96A/watch

How wonderful.

Thank you to the brilliant Hythe Dementia Chorus for bringing joy to the Club (and putting life in perspective) every week.

Have a little look here to find out more:https://brightshadow.org.uk/dementia-chorus-begins/

01/06/2026

Saturday’s report:

Hythe win a nail biter vs Broadstairs 2nd X1

On another hot day with the mercury nudging 30 degrees, Hythe lost the toss and were asked to field away at Broadstairs. Bobby Rumley arrived for a breakfast pitch inspection and reported long grass on the outfield, a lot of grass on a length, and not very much grass between the pitch and the boundary on the pavilion side, which was only 45 yards.

Grant Channon and Troy Harding took the new ball against a very young Broadstairs team (reportedly 6 junior cricketers). The lack of experience showed as the top order tried to tee off, hitting to the short boundary, and despite a fast scoring rate wickets fell at regular intervals, with Harding picking up the first two (lbw and bowled) and Channon striking three quick blows, including a sharp catch from Luke Bingham behind the stumps as something finally stuck. As surely as 4 brings 3, just after the first drinks break Broadstairs were ~75-5, with extras top scoring.

An excellent partnership followed from Fellowes and Jacob as Broadstairs repaired their innings and Hythe began to creak under a succession of injuries. Captain Matt Ford damaged his shoulder trying to throw in a ball from the 100 yard, longer boundary(!), and Tim Pichowski pulled a calf muscle and had to move into the slips in place of Bobby Rumley.

The injuries had significant impact on the course of the innings. First, Hythe lost the benefit of Pichowski’s accurate throwing from cover: Bobby Rumley, Bingham and Eggleston collectively butchering a run out opportunity with a sequence of calamities that would not have looked out of place in a Keystone Cops film. Second, Pichowski took a catch at first slip … something that hadn’t happened for nearly 2 seasons (except for a ricochet off the wicket keeper at Blue Bell Hill)! Third, and most damagingly, Hythe lost their 5th bowler, and despite an economical spell from Matthew Cobb (9-1-23-1) were unable to fully capitalise on the early successes, allowing Broadstairs to escape to a below par but defendable score of 195 all out in the final over of the 45.

With Pichowski injured, Bobby Rumley moved up to open the innings and was quickly joined by Grant Channon as a loose shot from Eggleston presented Broadstairs with an early wicket. As Rumley struggled to come to terms with the slow pace of the wicket and some prodigious swing from a young but well coached opening bowler, Channon had no such problems, throwing his hands at the ball and taking advantage of the short boundary to smash 59 off 51 balls. This set up the innings for Hythe and also allowed Channon to put his feet up and focus on events happening 1000 miles away in Budapest that were crucial to his mental state.

A partnership between B Rumley and Cowell, slow and steady for the third wicket, and a cameo from Bingham, looked to be taking the game away from Broadstairs. However a clatter of wickets soon saw the game back on a knife edge with eight wickets down, 20 runs required and Pichowski batting with a runner. A powerful four through the leg side from Pichowski, a lovely off drive from Cobb, and some rapid singles by Ford (running for Pichowski) brought the score down to single figures. Cobb then settled the nerves with a ‘Natmeg’, jamming out a very good Yorker, which ran off the inside edge for 4 to tie the scores, and quick single finished a hard fought victory.

Broadstairs 195 all out
Hythe 196-8 off 42.4 overs
Hythe win by two wickets

Man of the match: Grant Channon (9-1-32-3 and 59 off 51 balls)

Next week Hythe are away at Hawkinge in a local grudge match between the two promoted sides from division 8. Last year’s match at Hawkinge was abandoned as heavy rain washed out an LBW fest. Let’s hope for better weather, and a game settled by the players this time around!

29/05/2026

Sundays side at home to Walmer….

28/05/2026

Women's Softball Match Report
Following their victory at the Canterbury Charity Festival earlier this month, the women's softball team were raring to go in their first match of the Kent Women's Softball Bash, welcoming the team from Deal Victoria & Barns CC to The Grove on Sunday afternoon.

Captain Wendy Deguara won the toss and elected to field first. Steady bowling and tight fielding kept the scoring to a minimum during the first 7 overs. Hythe's patience was rewarded in the 8th over which saw 2 wickets fall in quick succession due to superb bowling from Jayne Duncan and an excellent display of wicket keeping by Wendy Deguara. Just seconds later, debut player Rosie Fordham took her first wicket with yet another expert catch from Wendy. The fourth wicket fell in the 12th over - caught and bowled by Stacey Taylor with the 5th and final wicket in the 17th - c. Pam Ludlow b. Stacey Taylor. Deal ended their innings on 99/5.

Hythe opening batters, Kaylea Fryer and Wendy Deguara got the side off to a great start, taking quick singles and two 4's for Kaylea. Deal took their first wicket and Rosie stepped up to the crease. She soon looked at home - hitting two 4's with confidence and settling into an easy partnership with Kaylea. When Kaylea retired on 31 it was time for Louise Thorgrimsson to make her batting debut - no easy feat when you've only been playing for a few weeks. Two more 4's for Rosie and a steady 3 for Louise before Deal took two wickets in one over. Hythe kept their nerve and Lily Martin and Jayne Duncan steered the team to victory in the 16th over.

As ever, a real team effort and a great start to the season. Thanks to the scorers and umpire Alan, and to all the families and friends who came to support the teams.

Next home match - Hythe v Folkestone 1pm June 14th.

28/05/2026

Here is your team for Saturday away to Broadstairs 2s….

27/05/2026

We loved hosting members of the Dementia Aware Hythe group last week, for an afternoon of cricket, cake and sunshine. Thanks so much to everyone who took part in such good spirits - such a pleasure having you all at the club. Here's the report from the brilliant team at Kent Cricket Foundation who organised the event:
https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/dementia-action-week/

24/05/2026

Hythe fall just short in a close finish

After two tight games in Spring conditions, summer arrived at the Grove as Hythe hosted Sherwood CC. In very hot conditions, Hythe won the toss and batted first.

Tim Pichowski and Steve Eggleston weathered some fine new ball bowling, and steadily built the score, putting on 76 before Eggleston was out attempting to lift the scoring rate on a slow but true pitch.

After a nervous start, Bobby Rumley made scoring look easy, finding gaps and running hard to complement some lovely boundaries. Having given a 25 run head start, he was in danger of overtaking his partner’s score, running Tim ragged before getting the only ball of the day that really misbehaved, one that kept very low and bowled him for 36.

Severely compromised by a pulled calf muscle, Pichowski fell soon after, having eventually reached his half century a few balls earlier. The platform was set with the score at 153-3, with ~12 overs to go. Grant Channon played soundly, striking some powerful blows as wickets fell around him, and brought up his 50 with the penultimate ball of the innings. Hythe finished on 234-6, possibly 15-20 runs short of the score that they wanted, but feeling that 234 was competitive.

Channon recovered just well enough from his batting to convince his skipper not to rest him when it came to opening the bowling. He took the new ball with Troy Harding, back from his absence the previous Saturday when he took all weekend over reading the banns for his upcoming wedding.

A luckless opening spell resulted in only one wicket for Channon, with several balls shaving the stumps and possible chances falling just wide or over fielders. Sherwood put on 100 runs for the second wicket before the partnership was broken by an outstanding run out by Matt Ford, throwing down the stumps from wide mid-off.

Another partnership built, however, and at the second drinks break Sherwood were well ahead of the rate, with two set batsmen - one of who was in the 80s and batting very sensibly.

Lewis Caruana then struck twice, the first a fantastic catch by keeper Luke Bingham, diving low to his right, and the second a solid catch in the deep by Grant Channon to remove the danger man Beech for 87.

A few l***y blows from the Sherwood skipper kept his team ahead of the rate, before another fantastic bit of fielding from Matt Ford led to a run out, and some brief excitement as it looked like Hythe might turn the match around at the 11th hour. In the end Sherwood’s excellent opening bowler, Tom Bulbrook, settled the game with two huge sixes - something no batter on either side had managed up until that point - winning the game with only 6 balls to spare.

Another nail biter of a game for Hythe, and despite the disappointment of the loss there was much to be positive about as the team fought right to the end on a pitch that got better and better through the day.

The 6 points gained leave Hythe in mid-table but in touch with the leaders. Next week Hythe take on 3rd placed Broadstairs, away, in a pivotal game for the season.

Hythe 234-6 off 45 overs (Pichowski 52, Channon 50*, Eggleston 47)
Sherwood 235-6 off 44 overs (Caruana 2-48)
Sherwood CC won by 4 wickets

23/05/2026

Sunny Sunday Afternoon
Cold drink
Great view
Safe space for kids and families
Warm welcome...sounding good so far?...

Come and watch a fun, friendly game of women’s softball cricket

Sunday 24th May 1pm start
Hythe Hopefuls v Deal Victoria & Barns Close
All welcome!

[Photo by Eugenia Pan'kiv on Unsplash]