East Preston 88 all out (38.2 overs) – 3 points

Ram 92-7 (24.2 overs) – 30 points

After getting some valuable points last week at Crawley Eagles, EP were looking forward to playing on what they expected would be an easier track at home. The wicket was a little damp, but still relatively hard and, despite being asked to bat on losing the toss, Andy was hopeful that a good score could be posted against a team starting the day just a point ahead of us in the table.

The hopefulness lasted all of seven overs as Sean was caught for his third duck of the season (2-1), Jack was bowled for 3 (8-2) and Smutt gave some catching practice to the slip cordon to be dismissed for 5 (8-3).

Darryl grafted for 40 minutes for 2 before being caught behind (30-4) and Tom R, who had at least managed to find the middle of the bat and hit four fours in his 21, went the same way (36-5). Spillers, making his 2008 first team debut, lost sight of a full toss to be bowled for a duck (40-6) and the innings was in tatters with no-one (apart from Tom R thus far) seemingly willing or able to apply themselves to counter the bounce and movement off the wicket.

Spice wafted at his very first delivery and could easily have been castled but he showed some fight to score 13 before being bowled (66-7) and Miggins fell immediately afterwards, toe-ending an injudicious shot to mid-on for a top score of 22 (66-8).

Tom C was bowled for 1 playing down the line of leg stump to one that hit off (71-9) and Coskin joined Andy to try to prolong the innings. Inevitably, after hitting a six, Coskin’s ambition overtook his ability and he was caught for 10 (88 all out), leaving Andy stranded on 8, after 39 minutes at the crease. The skipper was not amused but had to put his feelings aside to stir the team for the second innings and to try to salvage something from the ruins.

With Darryl declaring himself unable to bowl due to a side strain incurred the previous week, Coskin was given first over in the hope that he could get the same bounce as the Ram bowlers, and soon produced a delivery that left the batsman off the pitch to have Miggins pouch a good slip catch (6-1) and Smutt took another (20-2). Jack bowled well at the other end without luck and was replaced by Sean, who tried hard but was too wayward, and Ram were closing easily on the target, but the introduction of Tom C brought two quick wickets, Sean taking a catch at mid-on (50-3) and Smutt taking another behind the stumps (55-4).

With Coskin having bowled his full spell of seven overs, Andy used the other three seamers in short spells and the return of Jack saw his and the team’s luck change as he bowled one batsman (82-5) and then saw Darryl take a wonder catch the next ball, diving forward at second slip (82-6). Sean finally found the right area and induced a mis-timed drive to Tom R at cover (84-7) and both sides were thinking back to last year’s tie. It couldn’t happen again could it?

No!

A few wafts from the Ram batsmen and a poor leg-side delivery from Sean that went for four byes brought the scores level before a drive over cover for four off Jack ended the match (92-7) with 30 overs to spare.

To be honest, we all knew that this young team would have the odd off day when nothing went right, so let’s just hope that this batting shambles was a one-off. All credit to the bowlers, but they will need to put in similar performances in the coming weeks to get some wins and move us back up the table as other results conspired against us and we are now second from bottom.

Next week’s match against Southwick, who are also struggling for form and are just four points and one place ahead of us, is now probably a “must win”.