The Ramblas were back at home following their victory against Hadlow the previous week as they took on Locksbottom. Gloomy overcast skies made way for glorious sunshine as the teams arrived at the ground.
Captain Michael Cooper had no issues getting a team out, thanks to the appearance of seven Ramblas originals as brothers Johnny and Laurie Stocks both returned to the lineup.
Cooper lost the toss and the Ramblas were asked to bowl first. The first thirty three overs were largely uneventful, with (Steve Fitch and Mark Loughlin aside) pedestrian bowling and loose fielding. The combination saw Locksbottom rack up the runs, and two batsmen retire after reaching milestones.
Laurie & Coop sum up the first 33 overs…
In the penultimate over, Ed Gibbs finally made the breakthrough thanks to a smart catch by Doug Danks at mid off. Gibbs then picked up his second wicket two balls later when Loughlin took a catch on the run.
Thomas picked up the third and final wicket in the last over of the innings, with Fitch taking an excellent catch at long on. Locksbottom finished on 284-3, a large target that was going to be tough to chase.
Relief as a wicket is taken
The Ramblas trudged back to the pavilion, keen to comfort eat another excellent tea. With the run rate at just over eight an over, the hosts knew that they needed to get off to a strong start. Ash Harriss & J. Stocks opened the batting and Harriss carried on his excellent form from the previous week, breaking the club record for most runs in a season in the process. J. Stocks showed no sign of rustiness, ably supporting Harriss as the pair brought up the fifty partnership in the ninth over.
Johnny & Ash setting a platform
Harriss smashed a huge six, followed by another boundary in the tenth over to reach his own fifty. He continued to plunder the runs, helped by some smart running from J. Stocks to help rotate the strike, as the pair’s partnership reached 105 in the fifteenth over. Sadly J. Stocks’ time at the crease was cut short when he was clean bowled by Lott for 11.
Rudgyard was in at first drop, but his stay at the crease only lasted six balls before he was caught in the deep for a duck. Cooper was in at four and very much played the anchor role as Harriss raced to his third century of the season off just sixty three balls. However, he was out next ball when he was caught in the covers for 100.
Another century for Ash
Loughlin joined Cooper at the crease and the pair looked to rebuild the innings. Loughlin raced to 8 before he played on to his stumps. Danks enjoyed a rare promotion to six, and hit a boundary with his second pull when he delightfully hooked a short ball to the square leg boundary,
Doug hooks / The bowlers’ union’s rulebook in writing
Cooper hit two boundaries in two overs thanks to two edges that flew through the slips before he was trapped LBW for 9. Parrett came in at seven but could only manage one boundary before he was clean bowled for 4.
Danks and Gibbs fell in quick succession, with the former bowled and the latter caught behind off the bowling of Mason. With L. Stocks nursing a thumb injury and unable to bat, Fitch and Thomas were the final partnership, and the duo dug in to frustrate Locksbottom’s bowlers. Some sharp running, off both legal and illegal deliveries saw them finish the innings not out.
Fitch & Thomas once again put on a final wicket partnership
The Ramblas finished on 173-8, suffering an 111 run defeat in the process. In arguably our weakest performance of the season, the Ramblas will need to dust themselves down and focus on the positives ahead of their next game against Wrotham St George.
Matt looking cool as Ed focuses on the task at hand
Ramblas MVP: Honourable mentions to Mark Loughlin and Steven Fitch for their performances with the ball. But for his third hundred of the season that rescued the scorecard, it has to be Ash Harriss.