[6] As a schoolboy cricketer he began playing as a wicket-keeper, but quickly developed into an all-rounder with both bat and ball.

His ecclesiastical duties took him to Portsmouth in Hampshire,[3] where he was one of a dozen curates at Portsea during Cosmo Gordon Lang's tenure as vicar at St Mary's Church.

Likely due to being resident in Portsmouth, Raikes played a first-class match for an Oxford University Past and Present against the touring Australians in the town at the United Services Recreation Ground in 1899.

[8] The following year, he began playing for Hampshire, who possessed a weakened team, due in large part to the loss of many players to service in the Second Boer War.

Debuting at Southampton against Derbyshire in the County Championship,[8] scoring a pair of 40s and taking five wickets in the match.

[10] Following the end of his ecclesiastical duties in Portsmouth, Raikes returned to play for Norfolk in the Minor Counties Championship in 1904.

[3][7] Whilst at Oxford, Raikes was capped four times for England in the British Home Championship, making his international debut in a 1–1 draw with Wales in 1895 at Queen's Club.

[20] There is some dispute over whether Raikes captained England in their international against Ireland on 7 March 1896, with Gilbert Smith and Lewis Vaughan Lodge the others in the frame.

[7] The majority of his football came while studying at Oxford, with Raikes retiring from play at the age of 23 in order to concentrate on his ecclesiastical duties.