It was another scorching Sunday as the Ramblas finally got the chance to head to Tugmutton Common to take on Locksbottom, keen to get back on track following last week’s defeat.
With Johnny Stocks, John Loughlin and James Dilley missing from last week’s game, Rehan Qureshi, Duane Hall and Chris Thomas returned to the lineup. But with two players still required, father and son duo Neil & Koby Radburn answered the call and the Ramblas were ready for action.
Hosts Locksbottom were another side who favoured a timed game and after winning the toss, Ramblas skipper Michael Cooper opted to field first. Once again, the plan was to bowl first and try and ensure all three result were on table in the second innings.
Cooper opened the bowling alongside Thomas and while the former struggled to find his rhythm, the latter was bowling his usual nagging line and length. Thomas got his rewards when he trapped Reddy LBW for 19.
However, high quality batsmen and a rapid outfield meant that runs were flowing despite the bowlers and fielders best efforts. Looking to rotate his bowlers, Cooper replaced himself with Ben Sheridan and Geoff Parrett came on in place of Thomas.
The new bowlers performed admirably and Ben Sheridan’s excellent spell was rewarded with a wicket when he clean bowled Charman for 15. Two wickets became three for the Ramblas after a sharp piece of fielding from Thomas saw him run out Veda with a direct hit at the stumps.
Ramblas celebrate Thommo’s run out
Unfortunalely that was as good as it got for Ramblas as Minesh Patel and Jack Thompson put the Ramblas to the sword. Patel raced to his century in what seemed like the blink of an eye and while it looked like he was going to carry on piling on the runs, he sportingly retired at the end of the over.
B. Sheridan and Parrett were replaced by K. Radburn and Hall respectively. The pair toiled away in the heat, but they both suffered at the hands of the Locksbottom batters. However K. Radburn got the wicket his efforts deserved when he claimed his first wicket for the Ramblas thanks to a sharp catch from Luke Sheridan at mid wicket.
Ramblas working hard in the field
With under half an hour left in the innings, Thomas and B. Sheridan returned to the attack and it was Thomas who picked up the final wicket of the innings courtesy of a fantastic catch at deep mid wicket by Hall. The host’s finished their innings on 281-5, a daunting total for the Ramblas to chase.
Duane takes a worldie
The Ramblas sought the much needed shade and then, reenergised, regrouped ahead of what was going to be a tricky chase. L. Sheridan and N. Radburn were tasked with getting the Ramblas off to the strongest possible start.
Neil off the mark
The duo were assured early doors, coping with a strong opening attack that offered little. However some sharp running and the occasional boundary saw the scoreboard tick along. The host’s opening bowlers bowled seven overs each to ratchet up the pressure and keep the run rate creeping upwards.
The Ramblas openers took the team to 89-0 after the first hours of play, and with 193 runs required off the remaing twenty overs, they knew they were going to have to kick on if they were going to have any chance of claiming victory.
Shortly after the resumption, L. Sheridan reached a fine half century as he and N. Radburn went up through the gears. Boundaries were flowing more regularly, much to the delight of those on the sidelines.
Runs on and off the field for the Sheridan clan
The pair kept plugging away, doing their very best to keep the Ramblas in the frame for an unlikely win with L. Sheridan hitting some almighty sixes to enterain the crowd. N. Radburn reached his deserved fifty on debut for the club. Soon after, L. Sheridan hit his second century of the season with a pull shot that pierced the square leg field for a boundary. L. Sheridan was retired upon reaching his hundred.
Neil & Luke salute their milestones
Qureshi was the man in at first drop and knew that with wickets in hand, his task was to score as many runs as he could, as fast as he could. And as ever with Qureshi, quick runs were not an issue. But with an increasing run rate, he went for one big shot too many and was bowled for 16.
Matt Rudgyard was the next man in and his stay was a brief one as he was clean bowled for 3 by a delivery that kept low. N. Redburn’s vigil was ended soon after when he was clean bowled for a well crafted 71.
Final flourishes of the innings
Parrett and Cooper were the last batsmen in and with the win off the table dug in to see the Ramblas to a well earned draw.
It was another strong performance from the Ramblas considering the heat and the fact they were up against a strong Locksbottom outfit. The Ramblas can now focus their attention on their 200th game next week.
Ramblas MVP: Shout out to young bowlers Ben Sheridan and Koby Radburn, and to Neil Radburn for his debut fifty. But for his second century of the season that saw the Ramblas comfortably secure the draw, this week’s MVP is Luke Sheridan.