Another cracking encounter against old rivals Chevening Amblers, saw the Ramblas claim not only a fifth victory in a row, but a place in the history books.
Skipper Matt Rudgyard returned to the side in place of vice-captain Chris Thomas, with Jason Christensen and Saravanan Mani also coming into the XI. With Rudgyard back it was business as usual, a lost toss, and the Ramblas fielding first.
After his fine spell last week, Michael Cooper opened the bowling alongside Mani and the pair got the visitors off to a strong start, ably backed up by their fielders. It was Cooper who made the breakthrough when a flick to the leg side by Andy Black found Steve Fitch at square leg.
Cooper and Mani were replaced by Fitch and Geoff Parrett respectively, and while the former struggled with his length early doors, the latter was in fine fettle. But with two set batsmen now at the crease, any loose balls were careering to the boundary ropes as the hosts reached drinks on 62-1.
Sensing the need for a change in the attack to break up an increasingly dangerous partnership, Rudgyard brought James Dilley and Duane Hall into the attack. Hall was the unfortunate recipient of the batters postive intent as they pounced on anything short.
It was Dilley who made the much needed breakthrough, picking up the wickets of Stuart Cunningham and Paul Brine in consective overs. Their 120 run partnership had laid a strong foundation for the hosts, and with five overs left their innings was set up nicely.
Mani came back to bowl at the death alongside Christensen, who picked up the final two wickets of the innings as Chevening Amblers finished on 175-5 from their 35 overs. The Ramblas knew that while they would’ve liked to be chasing a smaller target, the game was delicately poised for a thrilling chase.
Mark Loughlin and Kieran Gibbons strode to the crease for the second innings, both batters keen to carry on their strong form this season. The pair were in excellent touch from the off, hard running and punishing boundaries saw them take the score to 60 without loss after 10 overs.
Alas, the partnership was broken the following over when Loughlin chased a wide delivery and was caught at point for 24. Christensen was the man in at first drop and he immediately settled at the crease as the runs continued to flow.
Gibbons notched his second fifty of the season for the Ramblas as the pair took the score past the hundred mark. With things going swimmingly, it was of course time for a mini collapse as Christensen was caught behind for 18 and Dilley quickly followed for 1.
From 110-1 to 114-3, the Ramblas needed composure at the crease, and Laurie Stocks was the man tasked with calming the visitors nerves. Dispatching his first ball to the midwicket boundary allayed any fears. Stocks, alongside Gibbons, kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely, ensuring the Ramblas were always ahead of the run rate.
The duo put on 30 runs for the fourth wicket before Stocks was dismissed for a well made 12. Rudgyard strode to the crease keen to reinject some energy into proceedings, promptly scoring six off his first two balls and then being clean bowled on the third ball.
Those two wickets in the over gave the hosts a foothold back in the game, and with just 21 runs needed of 36 balls and five wickets in hand it was very much all to play for.
Gibbons, feeling the effects of two games in two days, lacked the fluency of the first half of his innings but was still able to find the gaps in the field. Hall chose not to worry about where the fielders were, dispatching the ball over the long on boundary for a mighty six.
With the score on 163, Gibbons stay at the crease was over for a hard earned 77, the Ramblas needing just 13 off the last five overs. Fitch was the next cab off the rank, but just as he was settling in Hall was bowled for a breezy 14.
Parrett was the man in at nine and after pushing past some early nerves at the start, wrapped up the innings with the final ball of the 32nd over, as the visitors wrapped up a three wicket victory. In a well fought contest, the Ramblas picked up a fifth win on the spin for the first time in the club’s history.
Ramblas MVP: A record breaking victory isn’t just getting one MVP. It isn’t get two MVPs, it’s getting eleven. For helping the Ramblas to a fifth win in succession, this week’s MVPs are; Mark Loughlin, Kieran Gibbons, Jason Christensen, James Dilley, Laurie Stocks, Matt Rudgyard, Duane Hall, Steve Fitch, Geoff Parrett, Saravanan Mani & Michael Cooper.