Telling Tails — Ravens vs Leg Rovers

Headlingly 2019, England bowl out the Aussies for 179. Their celebrations are short lived though, as they're bowled out for 67. With a mixed fightback in the Aussies second innings and the mentality of never giving up when England needed something heroic, and despite Stokes nailing it, the scorecard shows how it was a team effort to get there.

Much like Headingly in 2019, our first of two fixtures against Leg Rovers saw a fightback (twice) by the Ravens to seal an unlikely victory.

If there was a game in recent Ramsbury history that I'd wish our juniors and ladies teams could have seen for inspiration, this was it. We set the tone for never giving up, and throughout the whole process, doing it with a smile on our face!

Rocking up to summer skies was the kind of thing I'd dreamed of mid-winter, and finally this was it. After the grey skies in recent weeks on a Thursday, this one was set up to go the distance before a ball was bowled.

We lost the toss and on a humid evening we were asked to pad up first. As we try to rotate the teams and ensure everyone gets time in the middle across midweek and Sunday games, it was turn for Harry and Will to open. Will, fresh off his adventures in Europe for the past month, was somewhat unsure of facing the first ball. Those fears game to fruition, as he chopped on to take us 1 down after just 1 ball. Sorry Will, let's correct that next game!

Nick joined Harry and the new pair got us off the mark. The overs quickly ticked on and we sat at 46 after 9 overs. Something seemed up, we felt behind our usual run rate. Harry, whose usually done and dusted in a handful of balls, walked off after crossing the 25* marker with just 2 boundaries. As I walked out to the middle it became clear why. Everything was sticking in the pitch, it was all late onto the bat and if you waited to play it, the slower adjoining pitches and outfield ate up any pace on the ball. Only really two things for it, dob and run or over the top. And thats how we went. Nick and I agreed to run hard and make sure we asked the fielders to require direct hits to get us out. The field replied, taking Nick and the Bart in quick succession with direct hits (or near enough). As I notched up double figures (just), Lee arrived at the crease to help turn the tide further. Our intent was simple, to push even harder. I departed on what would be a Sunday block, but a mid-week swing was the order of the evening and the straight one held to take my off stump.

It seemed that Warwick only fancied facing one ball and had his pads off before I did after an unfortunate mix up with Lee. It proved to be vital for what came later. Lee smashed his way to retirement and Jamie went full blast. Just two inches higher and the fielder at deep mid-on wouldn't have been able to take the screaming catch which ended Jamie's innings. Although it would have been his last ball anyway, as a 6 would have seen him return to the clubhouse... sadly the average took a hit.

With Sean feeling rough, and Charlie swinging for runs, both fell quickly trying to add the the teams score.

Our 12th and trusty Malcolm donned a box-fresh Ramsbury T20 shirt and joined the opposition for some game time, after they found themselves 1 short. As such, Malcolm bowled against us and put on a solid effort for the other team.

Sam, fresh off a 50* on Sunday, combined with Harry who returned to the crease to hit as many as possible (Harry now the highest scorer in a single T20 game with 32*). A huge boundary line shot on the last ball from Sam, sadly didn't add the 6 runs that we'd have all loved.

However, we finished on a very healthy 162/9. A run rate of 10.54 an over in the last 11 overs. A true two part innings. We felt we had a chance, especially with how the wicket was playing.

Pre-match I always try and work out who will bowl when and with who. Trying to mix up skillsets, left v right arm, pace on v pace off and seeing if overall variety can stop the opposition from finding a rhythm. Thursday was a touch different. Leg Rovers got off to a blinder. They came out punching and were hurting us. Before long we were boundary riding, and very leg side based too, with just two left covering the off side. That didn't make too much difference though as the ball continued to sail over our heads on frequent occasion.

Will, ready to bowl some rippers on a wicket which was doing plenty, bowled a series of great deliveries, unfortunately the batter facing them sent a few of them onto the football pitch for Harry to retrieve. It wasn't the return Will expected (6, 6, 6, 4 for his first 4 balls), and it didn't feel a fair reflection, seconded by the umpire who was in shock with where the batter was putting the pink ball.

As I came on to bowl the 5th over, Leg Rovers were 66/0 and it was looking tricky. Fortunately the ball was swinging every which way and within a few deliveries I felt more dangerous than I'd felt in years... although not before I'd tried to copy Al and Jeremy (see Sundays game) with the two bounce no ball from the Bell end.

That aside, I had it shifting and the umpire said one came in, then swung out, sadly it only whispered to the top of off as it planted itself in the ever capable hands of Nick behind the stumps.

Then came the breakthrough as one straighted and held it's line to trap the batsman LBW. Leg Rovers left reeling from their own teams umpiring, but it was out and you could see the pain as the arm was being raised.

Onwards we go, we don't give up, we fight, we talk in the field and we communicate. It's never over til it's over and we had some belief back.

Jamie had a word and I'm beyond grateful that he did. A tactical change to the bowling to give Will a breather and go with as much pace and/or left arms variation as we could upfront. I returned for a second over and trapped a second Leg Rover plum in front to grab a pair.

Warwick had a blinder, you could see he wanted it. Not one to give up in the field either, but this was a continuation of a man in fine form and using the energy from the earlier run out to fuel his bowling. Boy oh boy did it make a difference and helped to slow the opposition down! Excluding a few fortunate 4s when the batters edged it, it was a blinding effort from The Wall.

On to Harry who followed Warwick with precision and low-left-arm-skid which Leg Rovers struggled to shift. They found Jamie in the deep for frequent singles, but with strong performances in the field we kept things tight. Harry took a vital wicket too, another LBW (also plum in front and on the ankle)... seemed to be the only method of dismissal.

As we changed ends, Lee took up his mark and bowled beautifully but somehow escaped without a wicket, despite beating the bat multiple times! Meanwhile Bart joined the mix and equalled Lee with some cracking movement. Neither took a wicket, but both contributed massively in slowing Leg Rovers down and giving us a sniff of a chance.

Then came crunch time. Would the batters go after Sam, Will and Sean?

With 6 overs to go, Leg Rovers were 125/3, needing just 37 runs with plenty of batting, including 3 who'd retired (but could come back).

It was do or die, we'd run out of pace bowlers, but maybe we'd taken the big hitters out the game enough to give us a chance and with a surface which still had some stick in it, maybe we could keep the runs down, however unlikely it might seem. After all, this is Ramsbury. We play for each other and we don't give up.

Sam's first ball, looked to be heading for 6. (Lee, Bart, Will and Charlie had all been punished for 6 on their first ball too... it was almost the story of the evening), and just as another looked to be joining the club, Charlie appears from the tree line and snatches the ball to send Leg Rovers 4 down. Rinse and repeat required... so we did. Sam sets up the next better to go big and another lofty attempt falls into the open palms of Harry (aka Cornwall)... who'd almost run past it (although maybe that was to make it look like a better catch!?).

Leg Rovers are suddenly 5 down. But Sam's not done... when we needed it most, another ball goes skyward, and wouldn't you know it... Charlie is underneath it and pockets another. 3 for Sam, and a WICKET-MAIDEN at the crucial moment.

17 overs now gone, just 3 remain. Leg Rovers require 26 (just under 9 an over). They're now 6 down and there are two new batters at the crease.

We're into the tail out of almost nowhere, thanks to Charlie, Harry and Sam combining. We suddenly have a chance to take victory. What a turn around. And then Malcolm walks to the middle.

How cruel it seems, for one of our own to to mixed up against the very team he loves and adores. Not to worry though, he's not on strike and Sean's bowling.

Now Sean's in the early stages of what later turns out to be a sickness bug, so wants to go home asap and lie down. The rest of the field want to see out 3 overs, keep the runs down and take a victory (if possible). Sean has other ideas. He bowls the Leg Rovers captain on the top of off-stump on his first ball. Wonderful... except it brings back a big-hitter to the crease. An earlier retired batter, on strike needing 26 with 17 balls to go. Shite. Big swing, miss. Big swing, miss... big swing, the faintest connection and the ever-athletic Nick reacts to snatch it and send Leg Rovers 8 down... we celebrate with bated breathe. Out walks another retiree.

The returning batter smashes the next delivery it for a single, Malcolm's on strike... dot, dot... you can sense the tension, Leg Rovers want to rotate things, we want to hold them as they are. Malcolm strikes, Leg Rovers run, we scramble, a quick pick up followed by a healthy throw to Nick sees the bails off in time to send the big hitter back to the clubhouse. Now 9 down, we need one more wicket... out comes another of the retirees. Also unafraid to smash a ball and returning just as Will returns for his second over. In Will's last over, this batter hit Will for three 6s before retiring. Leg Rovers need 24 with 12 balls to go.

It floats up and it's hit for... 1, quality bowling Will... that takes guts and skill, especially when I gave you 14 overs to think about it and you end up bowling to the very person who punished you in the first place. Malcolm back on strike, dot, dot, dot. In the mix, absolutely no one sees Malcolm walking over his stumps to try and fire one away... honestly, not a sole saw the stumps in a mess, no comments were shouted from the clubhouse, nothing... so we play on... it's not how a game should end after all. Malcolm hits the next ball and gets off the mark and avoiding any potential duck-based-fine.

Will back in line with his new nemisis, and the battle is on. But it's Will who wins the battle.

Final over, victory in our grasp, one wicket to seal it, Malcolm on strike and Sean desperate to lie down. Sean does what he does best and fires one in... Robocop does what he does best and tries! Never one to give up, Malcolm rotates his bat in his hands and reverse scopes Sean over Nick's head and away for a single. It's the shot of the game, actually the season and we're all left in a mix of amazement, giggles and fits of shock. If you weren't there, you wouldn't believe it. It was a masterpiece in reading the field and finding space to get runs. News has already spread far and wide and it will go down in local folklore for many a year to come.

Sean's loving it... but he still wants a lie down. Faced with a retiree once more and Malcolm off strike, Sean sends one down to finish off Leg Rovers with an off-stump smash and finishes with figures of 3/3 off just 8 balls! Go lie down mate, you more than deserved it.

Celebrations commence as we beat our local rivals by 19 runs and bowl them all out for 142, the last 7 wickets falling for just 18 runs to seal the most unlikely of victories. Maybe it was the new T20 tops... maybe.

But what a game! It was up and down for both teams and whilst we got the better of Leg Rovers they came to the Rec with that wonderful spirit that we know them for. Many friends amongst them, they're a true pleasure to play against. It's a fixture we all look forward to each year!

To The Bell for some merriment and the last of the evening sun.

Here's to more games like this, and for those who didn't see it in person, remember to find the fight when the odds are stacked against you.

We'll hear of this again at the awards dinner.

Go well one and all.
Cheers.

Tommy!