Fresh from a memorable draw with Locksbottom a week ago, the Ramblas headed to temporary home ground Petts Wood to take on Old Wilsonians for the first time. And there was cause to celebrate as the club took to the field for the 200th time.
Missing from last week’s game was Laurie Stocks, Duane Hall, Luke Sheridan and Rehan Qureshi and in their place came Johnny Stocks, James Dilley, Drew Smith and Ian Dacre. Dacre making his annual pilgrimage from Seville to don the Ramblas whites.
In a rare moment for the Ramblas, captain Michael Cooper lost the toss and the hosts were asked to bat first. After getting over being asked to bat first, Stocks and Neil Radburn were sent out to open the batting.
The pair looked assured early doors against some good bowling, with N. Radburn hitting some crisp early boundaries. But disaster struck as N. Radburn was given out LBW for 12.
In a fitting tribute to Ramblas performances from the early years the Ramblas went from 29-1 to 30-4 when Stone clean bowled Smith, Matt Rudgyard and Cooper in the space of four balls to leave the hosts in all sorts of trouble.
Geoff Parrett came to the crease to dig the Ramblas out of trouble, reigning in his more attacking instincts to help Stocks with the rebuilding of the innings. Stocks was batting beautifully, punishing anything loose and running hard to turn ones into twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
The pair put on 52 for the fifth wicket before Parrett was caught in the deep for 13 on the cusp of the second drinks break. Koby Radburn came in at seven but his time at the crease was short, clean bowled for 3.
Thomas was the next cab off the rank and he ably played the supporting role as Stocks continued his defiant knock. Sensing the need to kick on, Stocks opened his arms and unfurled a flurry of boundaries to race to a deserved fifty.
The duo kept the scoreboard ticking over, knowing that they had to bat out the overs to ensure that the Ramblas had a decent score to defend. And they did their task admirably in sweltering conditions as they took the score past 150.
As Stocks raced into the 80s, there was a buzz amongst supporters that he may be on course for a maiden century. And when he smashed two boundaries off the first two balls of the final over, the excitment levels grew.
Alas, some fine death bowling meant Stocks had to be statisfed with an unbeaten 95. It was a herculean effort from the former skipper, supported by Thomas as they put on 89 to take the score to 174-6 off 35 overs.
Players retired to the shade and after a short break, the Ramblas took the field looking to defend an admittedly below par total. Dilley and K. Radburn opened the bowler and an early wicket for Dilley was a false dawn as Old Wilsonians raced past the hundred mark inside ten overs to all but finish the game.
Amongst the seemingly endless boundaries there was a wicket for Parrett and a couple for Thomas as the visitors romped to victory in less than 25 overs.
While it was not the performance befitting such a landmark game, it is a mere blip in an otherwise fantastic season for the club as we look to rebound against Chesham next Sunday.
Ramblas MVP: In a game that may not live long in the memory, his innings of 95* to keep the Ramblas in the contest was a standout moment, so this week’s MVP is Johnny Stocks.