Match Report Greenmount 1st XI v Ramsbottom 1st XI  –  24 April 2022

GCC 287 for 7 (50 overs) RCC 140 all out (33.2 overs)

Scorecard here

Humiliating defeat at Hands of Local rivals

The much awaited first league clash with local rivals Greenmount ended in total disaster for the Acre Bottom lads. 

Winning the toss the home side had no hesitation in taking first knock on a batting strip that looked chock full of runs. Greenmount’s main strength is their top order batting and they soon took advantage of some wayward bowling and indifferent fielding reaching 65 off the first 10 overs. 

Scoring continued at a pace during the home side’s innings and at the end of their allotted overs they had amassed a formidable total of 287 for the loss of 7 wickets. Daft as it may seem a much higher score should have been achieved as four of top six batters threw their wickets away with injudicious shots. 

The Rammy bowlers were forced to labour all afternoon and although some chances were spurned the lack of consistency in line and length backed up by some very average fielding were the main contributors to Greenmount’s score. 

To have any semblance of a chance the Rams needed a good start and to be fair 40 runs were scored after the first 7 overs before Jonny Dack lost his wicket. After that the run rate dropped and when Alex Olpin (22) fell with the score on 60 and skipper Kieren Grimshaw (22) fell on 78 our pro Sen was left with the middle order. Like last week a massive collapse followed and when Sen was adjudged LBW for 30 with the score on 105 we had lost 8 wickets. In the end we finished on 140 which was quite honestly a disgrace based on such a beautiful batting wicket.

It was not as though we we’re blasted out by great bowling, although Greenmount’s pro Chesney Hughes took 5 wickets the best bowler by far on show for the opposition was Lewis Dove who really gave it a rip with his off spin. His figures did not really show the merit of his bowling as Dan Pyke smashed him for 3 sixes late in the Rammy innings.

This was performance the Rams will want to forget. We face many tough games ahead and we have to show a marked improvement in order to maintain our status in the Premier Division. I know we are capable of this and can show we can compete against the best.

It would be wrong not to congratulate Greenmount who are a club going forward. Their staff produced a wonderful wicket and the way the big crowd was catered for by an ample number of volunteers was excellent.

Amateur Man of the Match was Dan Pyke for his 4 wickets and 26 not out.