Coming off the back of a humbling defeat to Sherwood last week, the Ramblas headed to Chislehurst to get back to, if not winning ways, then at least getting the spirit back in the squad. But as with last year’s game versus the hosts, Chislehurst’s very own micro-climate ensured that it was another chilly day for players and fans alike.
With Sam Ford and Ed Gibbs unavailable, and Geoff Parrett rested, Captain Cooper welcomed Tom Danks, Dave Brewer and Drew Smith back into the lineup. And after losing the toss, elected to bowl first in overcast conditions.
The skipper once again kept faith with his opening pair of Mark Loughlin and Doug Danks, and that faith was immediately repaid when D. Danks claimed the first wicket of the day. After going for one big hit too many, Chislehurst’s opener Sankar chipped the last ball of D. Danks over to Alex Danks, who took a simple catch at square leg.
Loughlin then claimed a wicket with his first ball of the next over, clean bowling Patel with a sharp inswinger that pitched on off stump and clattered into leg stump.
Mark sends the bails a-flyin’
Despite the loss of two quick wickets the hosts slowly began to rebuild their innings with some well hit boundaries that raced through the quick outfield. Loughlin and D. Danks were replaced by Chris Thomas and Steve Fitch respectively.
After a loose couple of overs, the pair soon found their rhythm but sadly neither were able to find a breakthrough and the hosts reached the drinks break at 90-2 off 18 overs.
But the drinks break saw an upturn in the Ramblas fortunes as Fitch claimed two wickets in the first over after the interval. His first came with a slight hint of good luck when Kumar played onto his own stumps from a delivery that was close to bouncing twice.
Cooper giddy at the thought of getting a bowl
Fitch’s second came three balls later when Davis attempted to drill one back over the bowlers head but only managed to find Loughlin, who took a sharp catch on the move.
Cooper replaced Thomas and after an expensive first over made the breakthrough in his second, clean bowling the dangerous Briggs for 57 with a ball the moved back in off the seam.
Cooper and Fitch amongst the wickets
Fitch claimed his third wicket of the day when he clean bowled the big hitting Turner for 27 and the Ramblas were now right back in the contest. Cooper then claimed his second of the day the very next over when Sheakh danced down the wicket only to see his bails flying and was clean bowled for one.
While Fitch couldn’t claim another with in his spell, it was still all happening during it. After a bobble in the pitch saw A. Danks momentarily lose sight of the ball, the batsmen attempted a risky second run, which proved costly. Realising there was a chance of a run out, A. Danks picked up the ball and hurled it at the stumps like a tracer bullet and Goyal was promptly run out.
Even a heroic dive couldn’t stop the run out
The hosts were now eight wickets down and Thomas and T. Danks were brought into the attack to finish off the proceedings. Thomas claimed the ninth wicket to fall when he clean bowled Khanna for eight.
T. Danks then wrapped up the innings to claim his first wicket of the season, thanks to a sharp catch from Fitch at short third man. The hosts were all out for 164 and the Ramblas knew they were in the game.
Tom & Stitch combine for the final wicket
Both teams piled into the pavilion to escape the cold, tuck into tea and watch highlights of Germany losing to Mexico in the World Cup.
Ramblas players dealing with the cold weather
A. Danks and Johnny Stocks were once again tasked with opening the batting the Ramblas. But after getting a boundary off his first ball, Stocks was clean bowled on his second by a delivery that swung late.
Smith came in at three and after getting of the mark, a rush of blood saw him chip one up and was out caught and bowled for one. The wicket brought Brewer to the crease and the batsman was keen kick start his season with the bat.
And after breaking his batting gloves, but luckily not any digits, fending off a short ball, Brewer got off the mark with a delightful drive down the ground for four, much to the delight of his teammates.
Drew and Dave getting off the mark
A. Danks was looking in good form early on and the pair managed to rebuild the innings before Brewer was clean bowled for four.
T. Danks was the next man in at five and along with A. Danks kept the scoreboard ticking over. But with the score on 38, A. Danks mistimed a shot down the ground was well caught at mid-off for 25.
With the score now 38-4 and the Ramblas in a bit of trouble, Matt Rudgyard joined T. Danks and the crease. But following a couple of boundaries from the pair, T. Danks was clean bowled for 9 by a delivery that seems to jag back and cut him in half.
Matt & Tom in tandem
Cooper joined Rudgyard at the crease and managed to get off the mark with a well timed hook shot for four as the pair guided the Ramblas to 62-5 at drinks. Sadly the drinks break did Cooper no favours as he was promptly clean bowled by the first ball after the restart.
Loughlin came into bat at eight but it wasn’t long after that Rudgyard was caught at deep mid-off for 12 trying to up the run rate. Fitch joined Loughlin and together they got the Ramblas back on track thanks to some running and much needed boundaries.
The pair took the score over the hundred mark and had the players and fans dreaming of an unlikely upset. Alas, this dream was quickly dashed when Loughlin was bowled for 21 after attempting one big heave too many.
Thomas was in at ten but could only last four deliveries before being clean bowled off both pads. D. Danks was the last man in, and after hitting an excellent pull shout for four, was dismissed next ball as the Ramblas were all out for 112.
Doug despatching the ball for four
While it may not have been the result that the Ramblas wanted, or indeed needed, it was a much improved performance. And it was good to see a few more smiles on the faces of the players.
Ramblas MVP: Alex Danks once again looked like his old self with the bat and Doug Danks was a constant threat with the ball. But for their valiant efforts with both bat & ball, this week’s co-MVPs are Steve Fitch and Mark Loughlin.