Although the weather leading up to the match was relentlessly miserable, the Ramblas rocked up at Oakhill Taverners’ ground ready to finish the season on a high. And despite the quality of opposition, there was talk around the camp of repeating 2017’s sensational victory over the hosts.
Ramblas captain Michael Cooper had a slight selection dilemma, with six player’s from the previous week’s game against Hildenborough unavailable for selection. Luckily for the skipper, there were plenty of takers to make up the numbers. Ramblas originals Johnny & Laurie Stocks returned, as did James Dilley and Luke Sheridan. Completing the side were debutants Neil Missen and John Gerrish.
Cooper won the toss, and with a slightly patchwork XI chose to bowl first. Mark Loughlin and James Dilley were tasked with opening the bowling, with usual opener Doug Danks having to wait a bit longer for a crack at reaching 100 wickets for the club.
Buckley officiating the toss
The pace duo troubled the openers early, with both luckily missing fielders with loose strokes. But despite the best efforts of the bowlers and the field, the Oakhill batsmen emerged unscathed.
After four overs a piece, Loughlin and Dilley were replaced by Danks and Cooper respectively. With the openers set, the new attack didn’t have too much time to find their feet but they kept plugging away. Cooper saw two chances dropped off his own bowling, including one from the bowler himself.
Cooper drops a tough catch
Danks, as he has so often done in the past, made the first breakthrough clean bowling O’Keefe for 44. Cooper picked up the second wicket of the game with a delightful delivery that moved late to clean bowl Ayres.
With the ball back in Danks’ hands, fans and players were poised, ready to celebrate the bowlers 100th wicket. They didn’t have to wait long, Oakhill’s remaining opener finding Loughlin at square leg and Danks was mobbed by his teammates.
Doug takes his 100th Ramblas wicket
Danks wasn’t done at 100, picking up his 101st an over later when he trapped big hitting Hudson LBW, much to the batsman’s ire. With Cooper and Danks bowled out, Ramblas skipper turned to Rich Davies and Missen to carry on the good work.
Despite their rustiness, both bowled well and Missen got his rewards when he bowled Le Bars for 8. And as the death overs approached, Cooper brought Loughlin and Dilley back into the attack.
Neil with his maiden Ramblas wicket
The Ramblas pacemen picked up where they left off at the start of the innings, both putting the batsmen under pressure straight away. It was Dilley though who picked up the next wicket, his first ball startling the batsman and sending the stumps flying. And he had his second with the very next ball thanks to a good catch by Sheridan at square leg.
Dilley bowls, stumps dismantled
Alas, the hat-trick wasn’t meant to be, but Dilley did pick up a third wicket the next over, when Danks took a sharp catch at first slip. Oakhill finished their innings 229-8 off 35 overs and after a strong start from the hosts, the Ramblas fought back well and had given themselves half a chance.
Missen and J. Stocks were the men tasked with opening the batting for the Ramblas, knowing that while runs were needed they still needed to be cautious. Missen was in good touch early doors hitting boundaries regularly. Sadly for the Ramblas newbie, a ball that moved late and kept low was his undoing, clean bowled for 22.
In at first drop was Davies who was watchful early on in his innings. At the other end, a play and miss from J. Stocks saw the fielders vociferously appeal for a caught behind but the umpire was unmoved. Aggrieved at what they considered dismissal ignored, J. Stocks copped some stick, before one of his trademark cuts raced to boundary to keep them quiet.
Rich & Johnny at the crease.
Sadly for the Ramblas, J. Stocks was caught at slip for 10 and the Ramblas were 40-2 after 13 overs. Sheridan came in at four and was off the mark first ball. The batsman was on the attack, putting pressure on the bowlers and giving the run rate a boost.
With Sheridan scything the ball all over the park, Davies was more than happy to drop anchor and support his batting partner but still found time to cream a boundary through the covers. The pair doubled the score in just six overs before Davies was caught behind for 7.
Matt Rudgyard came in at 5 and smashed his first ball for as he raced to double figures in just three balls. The pair had taken the Ramblas over the century mark before he was bowled by T. Summerfield for 10.
Luke taking the attack to Oakhill
Rookie Gerrish was in at six and much like Rudgyard before him hit a boundary off his first ball. Gerrish ably supported Sheridan before the latter was bowled for an excellent 47, just three runs shy of his maiden Ramblas fifty.
L. Stocks made his way to the crease but sadly his time there was short lived, clean bowled after three balls. The Ramblas were 121-6 as Loughlin entered the fray. Gerrish and Loughlin steadied the ship, with the latter striking some lusty blows at what is becoming one of his favourite batting grounds.
Gerrish was the next man to go, clean bowled for an industrious 10 on debut. Danks came in at nine and played the support role as Loughlin continued to lash the ball all around, including two massive sixes over the midwicket boundary.
Danks’ time at the crease was ended when he was caught and bowled by F. Summerfield for two. Dilley was out for a duck shortly after and the innings was wrapped up when Loughlin was caught at square leg for 40.
Johnny still bristling at the verbals he copped
The Ramblas lost by 56 runs in a hard fought contest against a strong opposition. But once again, you can’t fault the efforts as they kept up the fight to the end.
Ramblas MVP: Doug Danks. Three wickets to take him past the century mark, as well as a fine catch at slip.