Match Report Ramsbottom 1st XI v Haslingden 1st XI – 10th September 2023
RCC 132 all out (48.2 overs) HCC 68 for 2 (14.4 overs) HCC win on Duckworth Lewis by 8 wickets
Scorecard here
Final Day Disaster
After what has been a totally different second half of the season culminating in four victories on the trot, which lifted us to 3rd from bottom of the league, the Rams put in a poor performance in our last game of the season to end up relegated into the 2nd division.
On winning the toss Harry stuck to the formula of batting first, something which had proved successful in the four previous games. The wicket was a green top so there was expected to be something in it for the seamers. Indeed our first two wickets fell caught behind off Lord and Hunsley with 30 runs on the board.
Harry then joined TP at the wicket and the pair took the score along nicely, both looking untroubled by the bowlers. However with the score on 62 TP was trapped LBW playing a sweep shot he will not be happy to reflect on. Our sub pro Hareen then came in and once again both batsmen looked comfortable as the score advanced to 86 with plenty of overs remaining.
The Haslingden skipper Griffin had by this time introduced professional Rudi Second into the attack and in his wildest dreams he could not have imagined the impact this would have.
With the score on 86 Second produced one that lifted on Buddila who was attempting to cut and Coleman took a fine catch at slip. After that the Rammy batsmen all fell to the South African, some to injudicious shots. Only Harry with 42 looked comfortable against the part time leg spinner who is a wicket keeper back in his native land.
A final score of 132 was insufficient for the day and it is highly doubtful Second will return better figures than the 7 for 14 again in his career.
With the rain coming in the interval 17 overs of the Haslingden innings were lost, reducing their target to 108 off 33 overs when play resumed. The Bird enjoyed an early success when Ali took a fine catch to dismiss Sipocz in the first over.
Second then joined his skipper at the wicket and both men batted well. In fairness to the Bird and our sub pro Buddila they bowled a decent line and length beating the batsmen on several occasions. Both were let down by our outfielding which was really poor gifting the opposition at least a dozen runs by misfields. This could have proved crucial with the rain that came later but that would have been grossly unfair to Hassy who were the far better team on the day.
Man of the Match – Harry for his fine 42
