While the Ramblas had originally scheduled a week off for the bank holiday weekend, such has been the positive vibes this season both on and off the field, there was an appetite for an extra fixture.

Fortunately, Ex Blues lost their opposition and offered to host, aiming for revenge from the Ramblas’ victory earlier in the season. Unfortunately bank holiday plans had meant that the visitors were missing several first teamers, with Johnny & Laurie Stocks, Geoff Parrett and Steve Fitch all unavailable for selection.

As ever this season, players were not hard to find, with Drew Smith and JP Aubin Parvu returning to the lineup. Mike Alloway answered the distress call to make his Ramblas debut, and after an eleventh hour appeal, Ollie Travers threw his hat in the ring to complete the lineup.

Skipper Michael Cooper lost the toss and Ex Blues elected to bat first. Cooper gave James Dilley and Chris Thomas the new ball and the opening duo bowled well in tandem. It was Dilley though who made the breakthrough, clean bowling Clifford for a duck with a peach of a delivery.

After restricting the hosts to 40-1 off the first ten overs, Thomas and Dilley were replaced by Aubin Parvu and Ben Sheridan respectively. The duo followed up the good work of the opening attack but with the two batters now set, runs were flowing a bit more freely. But some excellent ground fielding kept Ex Blues to 92-1 off 18 overs as the players paused for drinks.

Sensing the need for a wicket, B. Sheridan was replaced by Travers and Aubin Parvu replaced by Alloway. Sadly for the latter, his lack of cricket saw him great a treatment from the well set bowlers and was replaced by Cooper. Alas, this change didn’t help stem the tide and the captain got the treament as Ex Blues started to rack up the runs in alarmingly quick fashion.

Travers was doing his very best to help the visitors and he picked up two quick wickets to temporarily put some pressure back on the hosts. His first wicket was courtesy of a sensational catch from B. Sheridan at long on to dismiss K. Dolby for 73. He then clean bowled R. Dolby for 51, finishing his fiver over spell with figures of 5-1-6-2.

Thomas and Dilley returned for the last few overs and it was once again the latter that picked up the wickets. First trapping Coad LBW and then having K. Radburn caught behind, with the young batter sportingly walking after gloving the delivery through to the ‘keeper.

Ex Blues ended their innings with 245-5 off their 35 overs, the visitors disappointed that they couldn’t restrict them to under 220. But considering the Ramblas batting this season, they knew that had a good chance of chasing it down.

With none of his usual openers to call upon, Jason Christensen and Smith accepted the skipper’s challenge and got themselves prepped to give the Ramblas a decent plaftorm for the chase. Christensen was the early aggressor, punishing any loose delivery as the boundaries started to flow early on.

No sooner had Smith stated that he’d dig in and play the anchor role than he was reverse scooping the ball straight out of the keeper’s hands to the third man boundary. The duo took the score to 73 inside ten overs before Christensen was dismissed for 35 after a mistimed shot saw him caught at mid wicket.

Luke Sheridan was the man in at first drop and along with Smith kept the scoreboard ticking over after the loss of the opening wicket. However some strong bowling saw boundaries hard to come by and the pressure eventually told when Smith was caught at backward point for 37.

Rookie Travers was in at four and looked assured at the crease from ball one. The youngster hit a couple of delightful boundaries before he was caught for a well played 9. Rudgyard was the next man in, but his stay and the crease was brief, trapped LBW for a duck.

A mini wobble from the Ramblas saw them fall to 121-4 and the pendulum swing in the host’s favour. Dilley strode to the crease eager to build on his good form with the bat, and announced his stay at the crease with an almighty six down the ground.

L. Sheridan, knowing that he had to go up the gears to give the Ramblas a chance, opened up his arms and started to dispatch the ball to the boundary with increased regularity. And he soon reached his fifth fifty of a magnificent season with a pull to the leg side boundary.

The pair put on 71 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before L. Sheridan was bowled for 63 with a ball that kept low. Aubin Parvu was the next cab off the rank and after hitting a delightful on drive for a boundary was run out for 6 trying to get Dilley back on strike.

B. Sheridan was in at eight but couldn’t get off the mark and was bowled for a duck. Despite wickets tumbling all around him, Dilley was in great touch, hitting the ball cleanly and making sure that the Ramblas were still in the hunt for an unlikely victory.

Thomas was the next batting partner for Dilley and the pair got to the final over with 30 runs still required. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to get over the line, with Thomas (5) and Cooper (0) both dismissed as the Rambas lost by 19 runs.

Ramblas MVP: Honourable mention to Ollie Travers for his performance on debut, as well as our top order’s efforts with the bat. For this three wickets to go with his 34* with the bat, this week’s MVP has to be James Dilley.