Refreshed and relaxed after last week’s excellent Family Day, the Ramblas headed to old foes Chevening Amblers hoping to start the second half of the season strong. And with the glorious weather and idyllic setting, the atmosphere was buzzing.
With several players unavailable due to holidays and birthday celebrations, the Ramblas welcomed Geoff Parrett, Ed Gibbs, Rehan Qureshi and Dave Green back into the fold. And after winning the toss, Captain Cooper elected to bowl first.
Cooper mixed things up with the bowling attack, with Steve Fitch and Doug Danks opening the bowling. And the former bowled beautifully from ball one and was unlucky to not pick up a wicket in his first over when stand in ‘keeper Qureshi dropped a dolly.
Luckily the drop didn’t cost much as the batsman was dismissed in D. Dank’s first over, caught by Fitch at backward square leg. Unfortunately for the pair, that was as good as it got for them, with opener Ranaweera hitting boundaries like they were going out of fashion.
D. Danks and Fitch were replaced with Loughlin and Parrett respectively but a few dropped chances meant the runs kept flowing. Loughlin finally made the breakthrough in the 22nd over, when a tempter outside off saw Recaldin go for a big hit but Gibbs took a fantastic catch at deep extra cover.
Stitch and Doug in action
Loughlin was replaced by Cooper and while his radar was initially wayward, a few decent balls kept the batsmen honest. And Gibbs then replaced Parrett, whose fantastic eight over spell, though it went wicketless, helped keep the scoreboard in check.
Cooper picked up the third wicket of the day when Sayers attempted a hook shot could only find Loughlin at deep square leg. But with the dangerous Ranaweera still at the crease, Cooper replaced himself with Loughlin, hoping that some actual pace might do the trick.
And unsurprisingly that plan worked a treat, with Loughlin clean bowling Ranaweera for 127 with a deceptive slower ball. Loughlin picked up his third wicket in the following over when E. Isaac chipped one up to Drew Smith at cover.
Gibbs was bowling beautifully in his spell and picked up a deserved wicket when he clean bowled R. Isaac for a duck, despite the batsman’s inaccurate appeals that it had bounced twice.
High fives for Ed after his first wicket
With the hosts six wickets down, the Ramblas knew the fightback was on. Loughlin clean bowled Perry and Gibson in successive balls to give himself his first Ramblas five-fer and a chance to take his second hat-trick. Sadly, a wide full toss isn’t the ideal delivery for a hat-trick ball and was promptly dispatched for four.
Mark doing what he does best
Gibbs grabbed his second wicket when Park was caught behind thanks to a nonchalant one handed grab by Qureshi. Loughlin wrapped up the innings when he clean bowled Leppard in the last over to leave the hosts on 203.
The drops in the field meant the target was a little higher than it perhaps should’ve been but on a good wicket and a fast outfield, the Ramblas knew they had a good chance.
Drew getting composed before the innings begins
After tucking into an excellent tea and watching Spain and Russia battle it out in the World Cup, attention soon returned to the game in hand. Alex Danks and Smith opened the batting for the Ramblas.
But as is the case every week this season, the Ramblas lost a wicket early when A. Danks was clean bowled for two. The early wicket brought Qureshi to crease and it didn’t take him long to announce his presence, hitting three boundaries in his first eight balls.
Disaster strikes in the first over
With Smith playing the anchor role and letting Qureshi do his thing, namely smashing the ball all over the park the pair put on a much needed 59 run partnership before Smith was clean bowled for five.
Rehan tees off and Drew survives a scare
Dave Green came in at four and showed no signs of rustiness as he carved his third ball through the covers for four. Qureshi brought up a fantastic fifty and look set for plenty more.
The pair kept the run rate ticking over but the chase took a hit when the Chevening skipper took an excellent catch on the long boundary to dismiss Qureshi for a superb 67. Dave Brewer was the next man in but couldn’t build on his recent good form and was clean bowled for a duck.
Dave G looking in great touch
Loughlin joined Green at the crease and although the boundaries briefly dried up, sharp running from the pair kept the visitors in line with the run rate. The pair also took the Ramblas over the century mark before Green was clean bowled for a career best 30.
Gibbs was the next cab off the rank and was keen to follow up his bowling heroics with the bat. And with Loughlin in the mood to score fast, including a glorious six over the mid-wicket boundary, the signs looked promising. Alas, Gibbs was stumped for one attempting a sweep shot and losing his balance.
Mark leading the fightback
Fitch came in at eight and again looked set to play the anchor role as Loughlin teed off. The pair took the score to 138 before Fitch was trapped LBW for four.
The wicket brought Parrett to the crease but his tenure was short lived thanks to a run out after Loughlin called a quick single. Some say there was never a single there, some say Parrett should’ve been backing up but it will be hotly debated for years to come…
Geoff desperately attempts to make his ground
Despite being eight wickets down, the Ramblas were refusing to give up the fight. And with D. Danks at the crease with Loughlin, it was still very much game on. And even with the fielders out on the ropes, the pair still managed to pick up boundaries.
However, with the score now 168-8, D. Danks attempted a drive down the ground but could only find the fielder at mid off and was out for nine. Cooper was the last man in, hoping to support Loughlin in the dying overs.
But the axe fell on the run chase in the 38th over when Loughlin was caught at long off for a fantastic 42 ball 47.
Although the Ramblas fell 34 runs short of the total, it was still a great effort from everyone involved. And as cliched as it may be, there was a lot of positives to take away as we return to home comforts next week.
Ramblas MVP: Rehan Qureshi and Dave Green were dangerous with the bat, and Ed Gibbs and Geoff Parrett excelled with the ball. But for his maiden Ramblas six-fer and a nearly match winning 47, this week’s MVP is Mark Loughlin.