The Ramblas returned home after their efforts last week as they took on new opponents Hackney Umpires. However, in the two weeks since they were last at home, fortress Ex-Blues looked more like a scene from a dystopian wasteland than the verdant green utopia we are used to.
Along with the summer hitting energy sapping levels akin to an iPhone, Captain Cooper also had to deal with a raft of players unavailable for selection. However, the Ramblas Rolodex is pretty full these days and Cooper was able to call upon the services of Dave Gambie, Graeme Moir, Colin Thomas (making his Ramblas – and cricketing – debut) and Howard Hardy-King, who was making his long awaited return to the Ramblas fold.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bat first, a choice that looked increasingly savvy as the day progressed. Keen to mix things up, Cooper opened the bowling with Steve Fitch and Geoff Parrett.
Both bowlers started brightly, but a combination of a few loose balls and a lightning quick outfield saw the scoreboard tick over nicely for the Umpires. Sensing the need for an early breakthrough, and keen not to kill his bowlers in the heat, Cooper replaced Parrett and Fitch with Chris Thomas and Doug Danks respectively.
Stitch & Mark combining in the field
And the new pair had the same luck as the previous one, with Umpires’ captain Pearce reaching a deserved half century. The pair persevered and continued to plug away but with wickets still proving elusive, Cooper made another change, bringing on Moir and Mark Loughlin.
And, as he has done so often in his Ramblas career, Loughlin made the key breakthrough, clean bowling the dangerous Pearce for 78 with a ball that moved back in off the seam.
Geoff refusing to give up the chase
Even as players were wilting in the field, the Ramblas never gave up and Moir picked up the second wicket of the innings when Dawkins was adjudged to have been caught behind for nine. The batsman was unhappy with the decision but the umpire’s finger was raised and the Ramblas were hoping that the wicket could swing things in their favour.
The heat takes its toll on the Ramblas
Sadly for the Ramblas, the wicket brought Benthall to the crease and the big-hitting left hander put the pressure back on the hosts as he continued to plunder boundaries.
Cooper brought Ch. Thomas and Fitch back into the attack and the Ramblas managed to pick up their third wicket of the day thanks to a run out by Thomas. Thomas got a fingertip to Umpires’ opener Fawbert’s shot that narrowly missed the stumps, but a sharp throw from Dave Brewer allowed Thomas to collect the ball and throw down the stumps at the ‘keeper’s end to see Fawbert run out for 51.
Thommo & Dave celebrate their great work in the field
Thomas picked up the Ramblas’ fourth and last wicket of the day, thanks to a nonchalant one-handed catch from Cooper. The visitors wrapped up the innings to finish 260-4 and set the hosts a daunting run chase.
Cooper claims his second one-handed grab of the season
As players crawled back to the pavilion to seek shade, sustenance and more shade, the Ramblas knew this was going to be a tough target to chase.
Cooper and Loughlin opened the batting for the hosts who knew that they had to make a positive start. And Loughlin did just that, hitting three boundaries in the first two overs of the match before being clean bowled by B. O’Brien for 15 off 11 balls.
Brewer was in at three and was out first ball when his pull shot was caught by Pearce at mid wicket. Gambie was the man tasked with seeing off the hat-trick ball but alas, an attempted flick off the pads saw him caught at short square leg. The visitors were rightly jubilant and the Ramblas found themselves in a hole at 16-3.
Gambie in disbelief at his dismissal
Hardy-King was the next man in and immediately announced his intentions with a flurry of boundaries to pretty up the scoreboard. One elegant leg glance aside, Cooper dropped anchor and let Hardy-King work his magic. The pair put on a lopsided 65-run partnership before Cooper was clean bowled by Hawks for five.
Howard in no mood to mess about
Moir replaced Cooper at the crease and, in conjunction with Hardy-King, put the visitors to the sword. Balls were lost to gardens, bushes and the 15.28 delayed Southeastern train to Charing Cross as the runs came thick and fast.
Graeme following Howard’s lead
Hardy-King reached his century off just 44 balls, beating the record set by Parrett by just one ball. Moir and Hardy-King put on 90 for the fifth wicket before Hardy-King was finally dislodged, clean bowled by Benthall for 113.
Colin Thomas strode to the crease but sadly strode back a ball later when a peach of a delivery kissed the top of off. It was a ball that you did not want to receive when you’re on 50, let alone when you’re playing your first game…
Ridiculously, Danks became the second Ramblas in the innings tasked with seeing off a hat-trick ball. And, sadly for the Ramblas he couldn’t, trapped LBW – a decision that the umpire seemed at pains to give.
Doug trapped LBW for the second hat-trick of the innings
Parrett came in but could only last four balls before being caught at mid-wicket for one, being replaced by Fitch, who ably supported Moir as they tried to wrestle control of the game back from the visitors.
The pair put on a solid 27-run partnership before Fitch was clean bowled for six trying to up the run rate.
Stitch’s timber goes flying
Ch. Thomas joined his brother-in-law at the crease and, following a delightful cover drive for four, took the score to 215 before being caught thanks to a one-handed grab as the Ramblas fell 45 runs short of the target.
In perhaps one of the strangest games the Ramblas have ever been involved in, we witnessed two hat-tricks, three people reach their fifties and one man get a century. And despite the heat, the game was played in the very best of spirits, and we are looking forward to a rematch next season.
Ramblas MVP: Honourable mention to Graeme Moir for figures of 1-15 with the ball to go with his 58 with the bat. But for his electric 55-ball 113 that gave us a shot at winning the game, this week’s MVP is Howard Hardy-King.