Ten-man Ramblas left to rue uncharacteristically shonky fielding performance, as regular rivals Hildenborough edge what turned out to be a close encounter.
Captain Michael Cooper was once more left wondering if he’d gone back in time, as injuries forced a couple of late withdrawals and there was the lesser-spotted cricket tea to arrange. As ever, though, the Ramblas pulled together to get a side out and lay on a suitable feast.
Despite being shorn of his two best bowlers this season, Cap’n Cooper opted to bowl first, with Ben Sheridan not quite finding his radar from the Tennis Courts End in his opening spell, while at the other end, Chris Thomas claimed the first two wickets – one thanks to a smart catch in the covers by Luke Sheridan and the other with a cutter that did the batter all ends up to rattle the stumps.
That was as good as it got for the Ramblas 20-odd overs, as the visitors contrived to put on a 125-run partnership, taking advantage of some generous bowling and even more generous fielding.
That partnership was ended by one that kept low from Jonny Stocks, before Rehan Qureshi got in on the act for the final wicket to deny the Hildenborough opener a ton. Alas, there was still more misery for the Ramblas, as the final pair put on what turned out to be a crucial partnership of 56, taking the visitors to 263/4 from their 35 overs.
Once the culinary delights were consumed, it was onto chasing down a total that, while daunting, wasn’t beyond a strong-looking Ramblas batting line-up.
Stocks and L. Sheridan were the first to tackle the mountain and were watchful against probing lengths from both ends (ooer missus…) in the opening stages, before the latter was given out LBW to quash any hopes of a repeat of last week’s record-breaking heroics.
Drew Smith was in next – on his 50th appearance (congrats, Drew!) – looking to maintain his recent form and fresh from a very tidy bowling spell that helped the hosts regain a bit of control. Unfortunately, his batting couldn’t match his cake-making prowess this week, as he was bowled without troubling the scorers to bring in Qureshi. The new man wasted no time in asserting himself on the bowlers, racing to a 13-ball 24 before he too heard the death rattle behind him.
That left the hosts in what could be politely called “a spot of bother”, as the birthday boys B. Sheridan and Stocks set about rebuilding from 69/3 to get through to drinks at 101/3, knowing that the target was still some way off.
Whatever it was that was in Stocks’s drink seemed to do the trick, hitting a six in the first over after the break for his third maximum of what is turning out to be a stellar season. Meanwhile, his younger partner was watchful where necessary but looking to up the ante where possible, including a maximum of his own.
A 63-ball half century for Stocks was good, but the Ramblas knew they needed him and B. Sheridan to go big to have any chance of snatching victory.
The batters were evidently acutely aware of this, too, as B. Sheridan raced to a 30-ball 50 and with 10 overs to go, the equation, while still tricky, was looking a lot more palatable for the hosts: 94 needed from 60 balls. If these two could be there at the end, then surely the Ramblas would have enough?
Unfortunately, just as the more superstitious Ramblas on the sidelines decided to stay in the same spot while the partnership was in full swing, more attacking play from B. Sheridan saw him stumped at the third time of asking to depart for a quite fabulous first half century – 58 from just 38 balls. Bravo, Ben!
Meanwhile, Stocks was looking in determined mood, as Matt Rudgyard – a man not known for taking his time – joined him in the middle. The pair picked up singles and twos where they couldn’t get a boundary to ensure they didn’t get bogged down, until Rudgyard was castled by an excitable bowler who was clearly feeling the nerves after a straightforward afternoon for the visitors had turned into a tense run chase.
With Rudgyard departing in the 34th over, it was going to take something special from Duane Hall and the incumbent Stocks, as the maths was now an extremely tough-looking 37 runs needed from 10 balls.
However, having got his eye in with his first ball, Hall went six, four and one from the rest of the over to make an unlikely victory seem tantalisingly possible, albeit requiring something of epic proportions, with 26 needed from the final over.
Almost unnoticed, at the other end Stocks was creeping closer to that first ever ton, having shown no regard for personal milestones and instead intent throughout on trying to get the Ramblas over the line. Still, with just five runs needed for that century, both eventualities proved just out of reach as a tight final over yielded just five scoring runs and a wide.
That left Stocks agonisingly stranded on 98 not out, having masterfully anchored a Ramblas innings that ended on 244/5 and resulting in a well-fought 19-run defeat.
It was another fine Sunday afternoon clash against a Hildenborough side that are now familiar foes across the summer and the Ramblas can console themselves with a stronger showing in the field after drinks and some fine batting that took the game to the wire.
Ramblas MVP: In what is proving to be a fine season, the efforts of Ben Sheridan cannot go without a final mention – coming back to bowl brilliantly in his second spell and then stroking an irrepressible maiden half-century in the Ramblas chase. However, having taken an important wicket in his first spell of the season and then batting with measured assurance throughout to almost take the Ramblas over the line, Jonny Stocks and his 98* take the plaudits this week.