Match Report Ramsbottom 1st XI v Littleborough 1st XI – 23 April 2023
RCC 138 all out (44.1 overs) LCC 66 for 2 (22 overs – DL target 62 off 22 overs)
Scorecard here and livestream here
Shambolic Batting Collapse Leaves us Propping Up Table
Despite Acre Bottom looking in fantastic condition all eyes were looking out at the weather with rain forecast throughout the day. This made the toss very important and when the Littleborough captain won it he had no hesitation in putting us into bat.
As in the previous week we were soon a wicket down with only 1 run on the board. Our skipper Tom Parton and newcomer Ben Pearson set about repairing the damage and both looked comfortable with Tom taking advantage of any loose delivery he faced. They pushed the score on to 40 before Ben spooned one to midwicket and fell to a fine tumbling catch.
Our pro Sen then joined our skipper at the crease and once again both seemed in total control taking the score into the 90s before rain sent us off the field. In total 5 overs were lost but on resumption the pair took us past the hundred mark with Tom reaching a deserved half century. With the score on 111, the dreaded Nelson, and plenty of overs remaining Sen charged down the wicket and took a wild swing at a delivery from the opposition spinner Ali and was comprehensively stumped. What followed after was a shocking collapse with wickets thrown away needlessly by poor shots and silly decisions, with only the skipper falling to a decent delivery for a well made 57.
With the situation we were in a minimum total of 160 should have been posted but worst of all we gave the opposition two soft bonus points, which they should never have had. Losing 8 wickets for 27 runs against ordinary bowling does not bear thinking about.
During the interval more rain came down and Duckworth Lewis came into play. When play resumed Littleborough had a target of 133 off 37 overs. Despite Birdy getting wicket in his first over the combination of Perren and Miskella rode their luck, particularly against Matthew, taking the score to 55 before the late introduction of Sen trapped Miskella lbw.
By this time the required number of overs had been bowled for a result and Littleborough managed to reach 66 for 2 off 22 overs, four runs ahead of the Duckworth Lewis target when the heavens opened.
This result leaves the Rams at the bottom of the league. I know only two games have been played but the batting displayed by the majority of our team has been very poor.
Littleborough are one of the sides we would be hoping to defeat and we have ended up giving them maximum points.
Improvements and decisions need to be made as we face a lot of difficult games in the next few weeks.
Man of the Match – Tom Parton for his stylish 57. Special mention to Matthew Birdaky who put in a fine spell with the ball and was unlucky to come away with only one wicket.
