After last week’s agonising defeat to London City, the Ramblas were hoping to regroup and they hosted old rivals Petts Wood. And despite the rain, and lack of functioning covers, doing their best to curtail their plans, the sun came out and it was game on.
With several players unavailable for selection, Tom Danks & Steve Fitch returned to the line up, with Pete Ford and Rehan Qureshi being drafted in to make their season debuts. Ben Stokes was also included in the squad for marketing purposes.
Captain Cooper won the toss and, as is his wont, elected to bowl first on a wicket that was going to be a difficult pitch to bat on. The skipper kept faith in his opening partnership of Mark Loughlin and Doug Danks.
Petts Wood openers coped well with a sticky wicket and Loughlin’s pace until Kularatne had a lapse in concentration and popped the ball up to the Geoff Parrett who took what his becoming his customary crotch catch.
After an electrifying five over spell, Loughlin was replaced by Parrett who, after a loose first over, helped keep the pressure on the visitors.
D. Danks got his deserved wicket when Peatfield top edged an attempted sweep and Parrett took a simple catch at backward square leg. D. Danks only had to wait another ball before claiming his second scalp when Munaweera drilled the ball to Loughlin at mid-off.
New batsmen Lone & Sydeen steadied the ship for Petts Wood and with D. Danks bowled out, Fitch came into the attack. But just as the visitors looked to be getting the upper hand, Parrett made the breakthrough.
Flighting a delivery outside off, Lone attempted a late cut but only succeeded in finding Fitch, who took a delightful diving catch at gully. Some may say he didn’t really need to dive for the catch but for aesthetics alone, it was thing of beauty.
Parrett then claimed the wicket of Sydeen when an ill-judged pull shot saw the batsman chop on to his own stumps. And not content with two wickets, Parrett bagged his third of the day by taking a diving catch to dismiss Williams off his own bowling.
With Parrett & Fitch both bowled out, and both having bowled superbly, the Captain brought himself and Ford into the attack to see out the innings. After following a maiden over with one that rained wides and no balls, Cooper managed to reclaim his composure in his third over, clean bowling Attaway.
Ford was unlucky not to claim a wicket in his three over spell but his tight lines helped keep the score down. Cooper claimed the ninth and final wicket of the innings when Gamlath chipped the ball up to Fitch at mid-off.
Petts Wood finished their innings on 134-9, a decent score on a tough batting wicket. And after an excellent performance in the field, the hosts new they would have to replicate that work ethic when it was their turn to bat.
After Messrs Fitch, Rudgyard and Loughlin put on a sumptuous tea that included two home baked cakes, the hosts couldn’t claim they weren’t well fed as they went out to bat.
Alex & Tom Danks were the duo tasked with getting the Ramblas off to a strong start. However, A. Danks’ struggles with the bat continued, victim of another unplayable ball that pitched outside off and jagged back in to dismantle his stumps, and was out for a duck.
Obligatory shot of Al looking dashing…
Qureshi came in at three and wasted no time in announcing his presence at the crease, smacking the ball over the bowlers head for the first boundary of the innings. However, T. Danks time at the crease was up after a rare drop in concentration saw him clean bowled by Meaton for eight.
Rehan heads to the crease after Al’s dismissal
Rudgyard was the next man in and, along with Qureshi, helped stabilise the innings after the loss of both openers. Both players hit boundaries to help the score board tick along, including a delightful six over the cover boundary. After racing to 21 off just 17 balls, a rush of blood to the head for Qureshi saw him caught behind after a sharp take from the Petts Wood ‘keeper.
Dave Brewer was the next man in and although he looked comfortable at the crease, an attempted hook to the leg side was slightly mis-timed and he was caught at deep mid-wicket for a duck. While disappointed, Brewer channeled his energies into being the Ramblas’ photojournalist for the day in Lucy Brewer’s absence.
With the Ramblas struggling on 44-4, Ford came in and played with caution anything pitching in line. The first ball that didn’t pitch in line got the treatment as Ford smashed a massive six into the trees. Sadly for Ford, a misjudgment from his partner Rudgyard saw him stumped for 14.
Pete deep in thought as wickets tumble
Cooper came in and his time at the crease was a short one. After getting off the mark with an edge, the captain was clean bowled by Sydeen by a ball that kept very low. Loughlin came and went in similar fashion and the Ramblas were in trouble at 60-7.
Disaster strikes for Mark
Parrett joined Ford in the middle with fans hoping they could pull off a partnership similar to the match winning one against Battersea last season. And the pair look good against a strong bowling attack with Parrett reigning in his attacking instincts to see off the dangerous Sydeen.
Ford helped keep the scoreboard ticking along thanks to another massive six but after getting the score to 80, was caught behind after feathering an edge to the ‘keeper. In a great show of sportsmanship, Ford walked before the umpire raised his finger.
The team watches on nervously
D. Danks came in at 10 and played the role of anchoring, shoring up an end while Parrett let loose. A couple of excellent boundaries and a cracking six over the covers saw the the Ramblas get to within 40 of the total. Alas, Parrett was dismissed straight after going for another big shot but being clean bowled by Attaway.
Fitch and D. Danks were the final pair and despite their best efforts to see out the overs and chip away at the total. D. Danks was clean bowled as the Ramblas were all out for 102.
The tenth wicket partnership in action
In what was another dramatic run chase that the hosts couldn’t quite overcome, there are many positives to take from the match. The fielding and catching was back to the Ramblas usual high level and on a pitch offering little to the batsmen, the sight of sixes being smashed around was a joy to behold.
The Ramblas leave home comforts behind as they head to Wrotham St. George as they aim to pick up their first win of the season.
Ramblas MVP: Mark Loughlin (5-2-10-1) and Doug Danks (7-2-19-2) were excellent up front with the ball, and Pete Ford & Rehan Qureshi brought out the big hitting. But for his figures of 3-32 with the ball, a 21 ball 28 with the bat as well as three catches, this week’s MVP has to be Geoff Parrett.
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