Match Report Ramsbottom 1st XI v Walsden 1st XI – 28th August 2022
RCC 198 fro 9 (50 overs) RCC 202 for 7 (49.6 overs)
Scorecard here and recording of livestream here
Bitter Pill to Swallow
To get beat in the last over is always disappointing but when you are playing against Walsden it becomes a real sickener.
After winning the toss Grimmy opted to bat first on a good looking track. Tom opened the batting with Nick Round who had been brought in to replace JD.
Almost from the word go Nick got a lot of verbals from the raucous opposition. Fortunately it did not seem to bother him but it was never the less totally unnecessary. Our openers put on 37 before Nick fell mistiming a hook. Ashen then joined Tom and the pair looked very comfortable in taking the score to 79 before our sub pro unfortunately played on. Worse was to follow when one run later Tom was bowled not offering a stroke to Islam’s first delivery. Prior to this both batsmen had looked in total control.
This left Grimmy in with our middle order. For once Harry (5) failed, then Brad (8) and Jake (7) both looked to have got established before losing their wickets. None of this stopped our skipper who looked in supreme form as he smashed his way to 69 (seven 4s and three 6s) before being 8th man out on 181. Our tailenders took our final score to 198 which appeared a tad short of the target we wanted to post.
An early breakthrough was required and we could not have had better start with young Toby Ashworth having the prolific Josh Gale well caught by Dale in the gully with the score on 5. With the score on 14 skipper Dawson was brilliantly run out by a direct throw from Pykey
This brought the Walsden pro Warrican to the wicket to join Nick Barker. The pair set about repairing the damage and although their progress was somewhat slow they shared a century partnership before Warrican fell caught behind off Grimmy on 127, a decision he was clearly very unhappy with. The dangerous Joe Gale came in at 5 and the opposition had obviously decided to up the scoring rate which had gone up to six an over. When Barker fell caught at deep mid off by Pykey we were really back in the game. Joe however seems to be our nemesis and he started to open his shoulders and runs began to flow.
With the light failing we got a bit of luck when Hanson was sold down the swanny by Gale and run out with the score on 163. This only seemed to fire up the stocky Walsdener even more and he plundered our bowlers dealing mainly in fours and sixes. Despite Grimmy getting 2 wickets in consecutive balls with the score at 187 Gale was able to finish the game in the final over with a massive 6, despite the light being very poor. He had made 56 consisting of two 4s and five 6s. This defeat was so hard to take particularly as everyone was of the opinion that Josh had Gale plumb LBW, a decision probably not given after the upset shown by Warrican after his dismissal.
Amateur Man of the Match – Grimmyfor another excellent innings.
