Ramsbottom pay the Price for slow start at Towncroft
RCC 194 for 5 (50 overs) & Middleton 113 for 3 (19.1 overs D/L target 110 from 20 overs)
RA M S B O T TOM paid the PRICE of a gamble yesterday after they had clawed their way back from a very slow start and posted a respectable score.
Batting first we struggled badly to put runs on the board in the first half of the innings and when we lost our professional in strange circumstances (caught after nicking onto his helmet trying to play a scoop shot off a second consecutive ball) with the score on 65 we were in real trouble.
Enter Brad Fielding to join Kieren Grimshaw who was proving to be the mainstay of our innings. Both batsmen played some delightful strokes and ran well between the wickets, sharing an excellent 92 run partnership before Brad sadly fell 2 runs short of a deserved half century.
Jacob Clarke then joined Kieren and the pair took the score to 190 before Clarkey fell to a magnificent boundary catch for swashbuckling 18. When the innings closed at 194 for 5 Kieren was left on 82 not out.
This was a mature responsible knock that helped to post a target that looked very unlikely halfway through our innings.
Just as the players walked off the field for tea we were treated to a hailstorm of biblical proportions which flooded part of the outfield and looked like ending he game.
Although the Middleton players and staff got to work mopping up when the storm ended possibility of any further play looked remote.
However both captains decided to make a game of out with Middleton chasing a Duckworth Lewis 20 over target of 110.
This was a brave decision by our captain Daryn who reasoned that, despite the odds being strongly in favour of the batting side, we could take enough wickets to gain more than the 3 points from a no result and possibly get a win.
The main factor surrounding this gamble was obviously the key wicket of the inform Middleton pro Price.
A couple of early wickets, one to an excellent catch by Josh Dentith, gave us some hope. But the partnership between Price and ex-Ramsbottom player Rehan Udwadia took the game away from us. Nevertheless it went to the final over before Middleton secured the victory and one has to give credit to our bowlers and fielders who coped manfully in shocking conditions. We did manage 2 bonus points, just one less than if the game had been abandoned.
Amateur Man of the Match went to Kieren Grimshaw for his excellent 82 not out. Mention has to be made to Brad for his fine 48. Both batsmen look to be in good nick this year.