On a scorching hot day the Ramblas emerged victorious against Chevening Amblers, avenging the defeat to them the previous month.
The Ramblas welcomed back their skipper Michael Cooper after his sojourn to the highlands, as well as their erstwhile king of spin Geoff Parrett. However, they were still a couple of players short but luckily Duane Hall and Seth Clifford answered the call, the latter making his debut for the club.
While the Ramblas boasted a full contingent, hosts Chevening suffered two eleventh hour drop outs and were reduced to nine players, including a 10 year old lad. After an uncontested toss, the Ramblas elected to bat first in a 30 over contest, and agreed to lend Cheveing bodies to help them field in the heat.
Clifford opened the batting alongside Jason Christensen and the pair got the visitors off to a flyer. Clifford was in especially good touch hitting a flurry of boundaries, and upon reaching his half century retired not out to warm applause from his team mates.
After Clifford’s retirement, a minor wobble saw Christensen and Ben Sheridan depart in quick succession. Sheridan was dismissed thanks to a fantastic catch on the boundary from Samuel Cunningham.
Mark Loughlin and Luke Sheridan were tasked with the rebuild and took the Ramblas past the century mark before Loughlin was out on the cusp of drinks. With the score now 112-3 after 16 overs, the visitors knew the game was in the balance and needed to kick on after drinks.
Alas, the drinks break served only to inspire the hosts as a bowling change saw Ed Isaac pick up two wickets in three balls to swing the momentum in Chevening’s favour. Matt Rudgyard and Geoff Parrett were the victims, the former dismissed by an absolute beauty that pitched outside leg and flicked off the middle and off bail.
The Ramblas sideline basking in the sunshine
James Dilley was the next cab off the rank and alongside L. Sheridan, got the Ramblas back on track. The pair put on 36 before Dilley was bowled for 16 by a ball that stayed low. Hall was in at nine and hit some lusty blows alongside L. Sheridan who reached a well deserved fifty before Hall was bowled with 174 on the board.
Steve Fitch joined L. Sheridan at the crease and announced his intentions with a brutal pull shot that raced to the boudary. Some smart running from the pair, and some big hits from L. Sheridan saw the Ramblas reach 207-7 off their 30 overs, with Sheridan finishing on 76*.
The Ramblas knew that they had put on a competitive total but also knew that there was still work to do to wrap up the win.
Ramblas skipper chose to open the bowling himself alongside Parrett. And the plan proved inspired as Cooper picked up two vital wickets in his spell, his second thanks to a sensational jumping grab from L. Sheridan at mid wicket.
Fitch and Hall came on in place of Cooper and Parrett respectively. It was Fitch though who picked up the next two wickets of the innings, both courtesy of catches from L. Sheridan as the Ramblas kept the pressure on the visitors.
It was Dilley and Christensen who were given the responsibility of bowling the death overs. Christensen rolled back the years, evoking memories of his 4-46 for Shotton 2nds against Corwen, as he picked up two wickets in the space of two overs. Dilley wrapped up the contest on the penultimate ball of the innings to claim his tenth wicket of the season.
In another well contested battle with old rivals Chevening, the Ramblas were happy to keep up with winning ways as they look to host Leybourne this Sunday.
Ramblas MVP: Honourable mentions to debutant Seth Clifford for his unbeaten 51, and to the bowlers who kept the run rate under control. But for his 76* to go with three catches in the field, this week’s MVP is Luke Sheridan.