A thrilling match in the scorching heat saw the Ramblas succumb to a 24 run defeat to Tatsfield.
The Ramblas welcomed visitors Tatsfield to their ground aiming to get revenge on a humbling defeat earlier on in the season. The hosts were without their skipper Matt Rudgyard, so Chris Thomas stepped up to the plate to lead the team in his absence.
Thomas did as all good Ramblas captains do, lost the toss. Tatsfield opted to bat first, with James Dilley and Geoff Parrett chosen to open the bowling. The decision proved brilliant when the dangerous Ellis was dismissed in just the fourth ball of game thanks to a sharp catch at midwicket by Ben Sheridan off the bowling of Dilley.
After a quick three over burst, Dilley was replaced by Thomas, who worked well in Tandem with Parrett. Unfortunately an unforgiving outfield meant that boundaries were flowing freely. Despite that, the bowling and ground fielding was strong, and eventually Parrett made the breakthrough when Hines picked out Luke Sheridan at square leg.
Parrett picked up his second of the game thanks to an excellent catch at first slip byJason Christensen, a perfect way to celebrate his 50th appearance for the club. After the first drinks break, Thomas replaced himself with Steve Fitch and Parrett with Michael Cooper. Despite some inital struggles with their lines and lengths, the duo soon found their groove.
It was Cooper who picked up the next two wickets of the match, first by clean bowling Perrett and then having Wheatley caught at long off by Tom Howgego. These wickets curbed the momentum and helped bring the hosts back into the game.
Fitch wasn’t to be outdone by his bowling partner, picking up two wickets in three balls to leave Tatsfield 124-7. A great catch on the run from B. Sheridan and a clean bowled effort saw Fitch reach 149 wickets for the Ramblas. The question on everyone’s lips was could he get his 150th? He could, dismissing Saville for a duck when the batter picked out B. Sheridan at midwicket.
While the hosts thought they had the visitors under control, a well set Heasman had other ideas and he dragged Tatsfield to 197-9 before he was caught at extra cover by B. Sheridan off the bowling of Dilley. Johnny Stocks wrapped up proceedings when Si. Hendry was expertly caught by Christensen at long on. Tatsfield were all out for 202, a tough target but one the Ramblas knew they were capable of chasing.
Stocks and B. Sheridan opened the batting for the Ramblas and the pair took the score to 20 before B. Sheridan was caught at first slip for 11. Christensen was in at three but his stay was short lived and he was clean bowled for 5.
There was a slight break in proceedings when one of the Tatsfield fielders mistimed a catch and was struck by the ball in the face. He was suprisingly chipper for a man who had two teeth knocked out and all the Ramblas wish him a speedy recovery!
L. Sheridan joined Stocks a little earlier than planned and the two took the score to 50 before L. Sheridan was dismissed for 4. The Ramblas were in real trouble when Stocks was clean bowled for 24, leaving the hosts on 56-4.
Howgego and Dilley were tasked with the rebuild, and while the latter looked in good touch, the former struggled to find his feet and was trapped LBW for 2 attempted to get the scoring moving.
Mark Loughlin joined Dilley at the crease and together they started to rebuild the innings, both hitting some lusty blows as they took the score past the century mark. Alas the partnership ended with the score on 121 when Dilley was trapped LBW for a well crafted 30.
Parrett was the next cab off the rank and plundered three boundaries in seven balls before he was caught going for another big shot. Loughlin was dismissed shortly after for 25. This left Cooper and Fitch to try and keep the Ramblas in the contest. The duo did their best, adding sixteen to the total before Cooper was bowled with the first ball of the 32nd over.
Thomas was the last man in and alongside Fitch dragged the Ramblas kicking and screaming towards the finish line. Sixteen runs were plundered in the 33rd over, including a massive six by Fitch over the fine leg boundary, meaning 25 runs were needed off the final 12 balls.
Sadly Ramblas hearts were broken when Thomas was bowled for 9 as the hosts were all out for 178. It was another fantastic performance in the field by the Ramblas, but despite our best efforts with the bat, they couldn’t overcome a strong bowling attack.
Ramblas MVP: Honourable mentions to Ben Sheridan for his four catches in the field, and James Dilley & Mark Loughlin for their middle order efforts. But for his three wickets with the ball and 19 with the bat, this week’s MVP is Steve Fitch.