After a wait of nearly two years, the Ramblas finally took on old rivals Petts Wood, even if the weather seemed set to scupper proceedings. But Mother Nature played her part (as did the covers at Ex-Blues) and it was game on.
In what was another retro Ramblas line up, Steve Fitch and Jon Loughlin returned to the side for the first time in two years. The former hoping to pick up his 100th Ramblas wicket.
Club captain Michael Cooper won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping that a drier and quicker outfield would benefit the side batting second. Cooper opted for pace up front with James Dilley and Mark Loughlin opening the bowling. And the pair did not let him down.
Dilley made the early breakthrough when he clean bowled Darshan with a sharp delivery that shaped back in to dismantle the stumps. M. Loughlin picked up his first wicket of the day shortly after, taking an excellent low catch off his own bowling to dismiss Thilina.
Doug Danks and Fitch came on in place of Dilley and M. Loughlin respectively. Fitch showed little signs of rustiness and kept the batsmen on their toes. Danks also started brightly but some costly overs from the duo saw the run rate increase. Danks was replaced by Cooper and, after finishing his spell with a maiden, Fitch was replaced by Parrett.
Cooper grabbed the crucial wicket of Ward thanks to a sharp stumping from Matt Rudgyard, who flicked the ball onto the stumps before the batsman could get his feet back behind the line. Parrett’s bowling was back to his very best and he was unlucky not to pick up a wicket in his six over spell.
With Petts Wood’s middle order continuing to chip away at the scoreboard, Cooper brought Dilley and Fitch back into the attack. Dilley nabbed his second wicket of the day courtesy of a fantastic catch at point by the skipper.
Danks and M. Loughlin returned to finish off the innings but were unable to make any further breakthroughs as Petts Wood finished their innings on 201-4.
As everyone tucked into their packed lunches, Cooper’s thoughts turned to the chase ahead. While the target was more than they’d like to be chasing considering their start with the ball, it was a target that was well within reach.
Simon Triggs and Rudgyard opened the batting for the Ramblas but the chase didn’t get off to the best of starts when Rudgyard was clean bowled for a duck. The Ramblas’ gloveman’s tough time with the bat continued, but a score is definitely round the corner. Drew Smith was in at first drop and looked in great touch from the start, reaching double figures in his first six balls.
The task became even harder when Triggs edged one through to the ‘keeper for 6, graciously walking rather than wait for the umpires signal. Jason Christenen was in at four and creamed a boundary third ball to announce his intent. Smith & Christensen took the score to 39 before some hesitant running saw Christensen run out for 9.
Loughlin was the next man in and, along with Smith, slowly rebuilt the run chase thanks to some sharp running and watchful batting. But with the run rate creeping up, Smith went up the gears, smashing an almighty six over the long off boundary as he plundered fourteen runs off Ward’s final over.
The pair kept the scoreboard ticking over and in the 22nd over Smith reached his much deserved fifty, much to the delight of those on the sidelines. After taking the score past the century mark, the partnership ended when J. Loughlin was caught at first slip for a well earned 25.
Loughlin replaced his brother at the crease and looked to carry on the good work of the previous partnership. However, just as he was finding his feet, Smith’s vigil ended when he was clean bowled for a brilliant 65.
Parrett came in at seven and along with M. Loughlin knew they had to take the attack to the visitors in order to keep the Ramblas in the contest. And attack they did, with M. Loughlin hitting a flurry of boundaries and Parrett hitting two effortless sixes. Alas the game was all but over when the pair were both dismissed in the same over, Loughlin stumped for 19 and Parrett caught in the deep for 23.
Cooper and Danks were next in and after scampering a few singles, Cooper was stumped attempting to clear the ropes. Dilley’s innings only last a ball after he was harshly given out LBW. Fitch was the last man in and hit a quick fire 7 as the Ramblas finished on 174-9, falling short of victory by 28 runs.
Although the Ramblas couldn’t pick up their first win of the season, it was a closely fought contest that got the juices flowing and restored confidence ahead of next week’s trip to Chevening.
Ramblas MVP: Honourable mention goes to James Dilley for his figures 7-3-16-2, but for hitting his maiden fifty that gave the Ramblas a chance of winning, this week’s MVP is Drew Smith.