The Ramblas broke their six game losing steak, beating Shoreham & Otford thanks to a strong all round performance.

Playing their first game in three weeks, the Ramblas were keen to bounce back after a heavy defeat in their last outing as they took on new opponents Shoreham & Otford. The host’s skipper Matt Rudgyard was able to field a strong side on a hot day in West Wickham.

Even with a huge break between games, Rudgyard’s form at the toss continued as the visitors chose to bat first. However, on an even wicket, the Ramblas skipper wasn’t upset with the turn of events.

Ganesh Ghube and Michael Cooper were once again tasked with opening the bowling, and a few loose balls at the start of Cooper’s spell aside, the duo kept things tight early on. It was Ghube who made the initial breakthrough, clean bowling Mason with a peach of a delivery that sent the off stump bail flying.

Cooper nabbed the second wicket of the day courtesy of a catch off birthday boy James Dilley. The wicket was Cooper’s 100th for the club and only the sixth Rambla to reach the milestone. Ghube had Geoff Parrett to thank for his second wicket, the fielder taking a fine catch on the run at long on.

These wickets brought the visitors big hitting number four Cillian Nicholls in, who instantly took a shine to Cooper. Ghube and Cooper where replace by Steve Fitch and Parrett respectively. But it was a sharp piece of fielding by Mark Loughlin who ran out Browne for one with just one stump to aim at.

Much like Cooper, Parrett bore the brunt of Nicholls big hitting prowess. To his credit, the bowler kept his head up and showed great perserverance, ultimately getting his reward when he clean bowled Nicholls for a scintillating 61.

There was a slight scare in the field when Cooper was hit in the head by the ball, very much putting the silly into silly point. But luckily there was no significant injury and the very next ball saw the batter dismissed off the bowling of Fitch courtesy of an excellent catch by Drew Smith. Cooper did his best to claim an assist for the wicket…

With Parrett and Fitch bowled out, Dilley and Duane Hall came into the attack and the pair wrapped up proceedings with a wicket apiece as the visitors were all out for 152. Dilley’s wicket was a fine inswinger that rattled the timbers, and a catch in the deep by Kieran Gibbons gave Hall his wicket.

When the visitors were 107-3 off just 12 overs, there was cause for concern but a spirited effort in the field dragged the hosts back into contention.

After a brief break in the shade, Gibbons and Loughlin strode to the crease with the aim of getting the Ramblas off to a strong start on what had been a tricky wicket to bat on. The duo got the Ramblas off to a perfect start, helped by a fast, and unpredicatable outfield as they took the score to 60 off the first ten overs.

The pair continued their great start and the runs continued to flow with sharp running keeping the pressure on the fielders. It was Gibbons who reached his fifty first, his fourth in just five innings this season, retiring to huge applause from the watching Ramblas.

This brought Smith to the crease but alas a mistimed shot saw him bowled for a duck. The wicket saw Dilley come in at four alongside Loughlin. While Dilley struggled initially with the bat, he soon found his feet as the batters took the Ramblas closer to the victory line.

Loughlin reached his fifth fifty of the season with just 25 runs remaining. Tom Howgego was the next man in and alongside Dilley saw the hosts home with just over ten overs to spare.

While the scoreline may look like a slightly one sided affair, it was anything but. The visitors were strong with bat and ball, but a fantastic team performance from the Ramblas exemplified by the outstanding ground fielding saw them emerge victorious.

The Ramblas look to make it two wins in a row as the take on a Stuart Dilley Select XI next week.

Ramblas MVP: Honourable mentions must go to Kieran Gibbons & Mark Loughlin for their unbeaten fifties, but for the fine bowling spells that wrestled back control of the game, this week’s MVPs are Geoff Parrett and Steve Fitch.