The storm clouds disappeared, both literally and metaphorically, as the Ramblas took to the field on Sunday, eager to move on from last week’s defeat to Wrotham. Back on home soil and facing old foes Chevening, the hosts knew today was a chance to right a few wrongs.
And not seemingly content with having to fret about the weather all week, Captain Cooper had the added stress of getting a team together with a multitude of squad members unavailable.
The net was cast far and wide for players and the Ramblas cobbled together an XI thanks to last minute additions of Ed Gibbs, Dave Gambie and Haydn Evans, the latter answering the Ramblas call late on Saturday night. Dave Brewer, Johnny Stocks and Tom Danks returned to the side to complete the lineup.
After all the selection headaches, things returned to normal when Cooper lost the toss and the Ramblas were put in to bat.
Alex Danks and Stocks opened the batting for the hosts, aware that on a slightly damp wicket, fortune favours the cautious. A. Danks looked in good touch early on, hitting two delightful boundaries before a momentary lapse in concentration saw him clean bowled for 11.
Al getting off the mark
Tom Danks replaced his brother at the crease and, along with Stocks, got the scoreboard ticking along nicely. Stocks looked in particularly fine fettle, glorious cut shots and leg side flicks aplenty.
Loud calls boys…
Some sharp, and occasionally perilous, running helped keep pressure on the fielding side until disaster struck. Running to make his ground, Stocks pulled a muscle and drinks were taken as he received treatment. A spray of deep heat and a runner in the shape of Gibbs, and Stocks was good to resume his innings.
A tale of two batsmen
Stocks’ excellent innings came to an end when he was run out for 27, after Gibbs was called for single by T. Danks and couldn’t make his ground. The pair put on a 52 run partnership that had laid the groundwork for the rest of the innings.
Dave Brewer was the next man in, and the next man out, as his attempted hook shot was slightly mistimed and he was clean bowled. Gambie came in at five and provided a steady hand at the crease after the loss of a couple of quick wickets.
Quick running from the pair turned ones into twos, and on one occasion, turned a two into a four, as they steadily accumulated runs. Gambie knew his luck was in when a one handed grab from Chevening’s skipper was chalked off due to a no ball. And with his luck in, he opened his arms and hit a couple of delightful boundaries.
Gambie’s blushes spared by a no ball
T. Danks brilliant innings came to an end on 43 when he was caught in the deep trying to up the ante. His innings had given the home side the momentum they needed and with the score on 138-4, he left his side in a great position.
Tom driving the ball beautifully
New boy Evans was in at six and having not batted for many a year, his rustiness showed when he was trapped LBW off his third ball.
Sapped of energy and knowing now was the time to go out swinging, Gambie was stumped for 31.
Cooper came in and was out first ball, caught behind off an inside edge as he attempted to heave the ball back over the bowlers head.
Fans and umpires enjoying the splendid weather
Gibbs and Mark Loughlin were the next batsmen in and the former took no time finding his feet, creaming his second ball over the cover boundary for six. Some more big hitting from Gibbs took the score to 154 before Mark was caught at deep square leg for two. Gibbs added two more to his tally finishing on 15 off 7 balls to take the score to 156-8 off 35 overs.
Ed bringing the fire power
The teams headed inside for tea, both for sustenance and to seek shelter from the heat. And with thunderstorms still threatening to appear, tea was consumed with haste and the Ramblas were primed and ready to go.
Loughlin and Doug Danks were once again chosen to open the bowling for Ramblas, the former’s pace unaffected by the slow pitch. As ever, D. Danks made the early breakthrough, taking a sharp caught and bowled to dismiss Ward for eight.
D. Danks didn’t have to wait long for his second wicket when another superlative one handed catch from A. Danks at square leg saw Sayers depart for a duck.
Loughlin’s great spell got the rewards it deserved when he trapped opener Ranaweera LBW.
The Ramblas celebrate Mark’s wicket
With D. Danks’ radar a little off, the visitors started to ramp up the scoring. However, it still didn’t stop him claiming a couple of scalps when both Lower and May were clean bowled in successive balls. And the hat-trick ball flew agonisingly wide of A.Danks at square leg to deny him a maiden five-fer.
Doug clean bowls May
Loughlin and D. Danks were replaced by Thomas and Gibbs respectively. And both bowled perfectly in the conditions, keeping the pace off and bowling wicket to wicket.
Gibbs was the first of the pair to claim a wicket when Parkes picked out T. Danks at deep midwicket for 15. And the pair combined again just two balls later when Isaac was dismissed for a duck.
A well earned fag break for Tom
While chaos reigned around him, the visitors skipper Recaldin was doing everything he could to keep his side in the contest. But his resolve was finally broken when he was caught by Gibbs at midwicket off the bowling of Thomas.
Thommo celebrates the key wicket of Recaldin
The Ramblas sensed blood and Thomas claimed the wicket of Leppard just three balls later thanks to another smart catch by A. Danks at point.
Thomas wrapped up the innings when he trapped Clark LBW as Chevening were bowled out for 89.
Handshakes after a hard fought victory
An enormous sense of relief was felt by the hosts after claiming their first win of the season. And with the monkey off their back, they can go into June full of confidence.
Ramblas MVP: Johnny Stocks and Dave Gambie batted brilliantly to put on a strong total. And with the ball, Ed Gibbs and Chris Thomas suffocated the Chevening batsmen. But for his metronomic 43 and two excellent catches, this week’s MVP is Tom Danks.
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