For the third time this season, the Ramblas welcomed Hildenborough to Fortress Ex-blues and with each team having claimed a win already, it was perfectly set up for a deciding bout.
Ramblas captain Michael Cooper initially had little trouble sorting a side out, with Geoff Parrett making a welcome return to the lineup. However, a few spanners were thrown into the works with last minute drop outs.
Ed Gibbs was unable to get a house move sorted in time but was replaced by Ash Harriss and Simon Triggs suffered a toe injury and in his place came Lewis Barham. Barham had only turned up to watch but was convinced to don his day old whites to help the Ramblas cause.
Hildenborough won the toss and elected to bat first, with Cooper electing to go with Doug Danks and Chris Thomas as the opening bowling attack. Thomas was bowling beautifully, his adrenaline pumping after some early LBW appeals were denied.
Danks however, was fairing much worse, with Hildenborough opener Davies dispatching him to all parts of the ground. After three tough overs he was replaced by Cooper. The hosts skipper suffered initially from Davies big hitting, compounded by a couple of drops.
Tough going in the field
Cooper finally picked up the wicket of Davies thanks to a sharp catch at deep square leg by Thomas. With Thomas bowled out, and a need to keep the run rate down, Cooper made a double change. Harriss came on in place of Cooper and Thomas made way for Mark Loughlin.
The duo helped wrestle back some momentum for the Ramblas, with Loughlin’s pace proving a menace to the batsmen. But it was Harriss who picked up the second wicket of the day thanks to a well taken caught and bowled opportunity.
After a four over burst apiece, Harriss and Loughlin were replaced by Danks and Parrett respectively. Parrett struggled with the ball, with the Hildenborough middle order punishing any loose deliveries.
Mark & Ash keep things tight
In what was an uncharacteristic drought for the bowler, Danks picked up his first wicket in four matches when he trapped the visitor’s skipper LBW. With the score on 195-3 and seven overs to go, the Ramblas still had their work cut out for them.
Harriss and Loughlin both returned to finish off the innings, and it was an inspired piece of fielding from Harriss that saw the Ramblas pick up their third wicket. When Hildenborough’s opener’s shot hit the stumps at the non-strikers end, Harriss was alert enough to gather the ball and uproot a stump to run out Webb.
Harriss picked up the fifth and final wicket of the innings when he clean bowled Harding for 20. The visitors ended their innings on 258-5, leaving the Ramblas with a difficult run chase ahead of them.
Not content with bowling him seven overs, Cooper gave Harriss the task of opening the batting alongside Rich Davies. Knowing that a strong start was needed, Harriss went on the attack with three boundaries in his first four balls. However, Davies didn’t have the same good fortune, caught in the covers for 2.
Rich watches on as the fielder takes the catch
Barham came in at three but it wasn’t long after that Harriss was the second man to fall, stumped off a wide delivery for a fifteen ball 29. Rudgyard was the next man in and signalled his intent with a boundary off his first ball.
The pair continued to play positively, rotating the strike and hitting boundaries consistently as they reached their fifty partnership in the eleventh over. They took the score to 100 before Rudgyard was controversially (depending on who you ask) given out LBW for 27.
Matt & Lewis striking back
Jason Christensen was in at five and was cruelly out first ball, when a firmly struck shot flew straight into the hands of the fielder in the covers. Haydn Evans came in next and looked in good touch but kept finding the fielders with his shots.
Barham reached a well deserved fifty before Evans was bowled for 1. The Ramblas were 123-5 and despite the cluster of wickets, there was still hope of chasing down the total.
Players (& pups) watch on as Lewis reaches his fifty
Loughlin was the next man in and ably supported Barham at the crease, toning down the big hits, but ramping up the quick singles. However, just as the pair were looking set, a loose shot from Loughlin saw him caught behind for 16.
In at eight was Parrett and he picked up where Loughlin left off, rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Parrett still found time to bring out some customary big shots to keep the bowlers honest, and the fans on the edge of their seats.
Barham and Parrett put on 48 for the seventh wicket before the latter was clean bowled for an excellent 24.
Geoff & Mark supporting Lewis at the crease
With the score on 195-7, and now batting with the tail, Barham knew it was time to go up a gear. Cooper, in at nine, knew his task was to give Barham as much of the strike as possible.
The run rate continued to climb and in an effort to keep the hosts in the chase, Barham fell for a brilliant 88 when he was caught at deep mid wicket.
Cooper fell shortly after, clean bowled for 8 after his attempted slog was woefully mistimed. Danks was bowled for two in the final over as the Ramblas lost by 24 runs.
Thommo continues to fight the good fight
It was another keenly fought contest between the two sides, but it’s the visitors who claimed the Ramborough (credit; Lucy Brewer) trophy this season.
Ramblas MVP: Lewis Barham. A brilliant innings that nearly saw the Ramblas pull off a historic victory.