Ricketts’ six wickets complete a remarkable turnaround

The South African medium-pacer grabbed six for 33 from 15 accurate overs, including the match-clinching wicket from the final ball, to keep the visitors’ hopes of a return to the Premier League alive.

However, in-form Wardens were left asking themselves some searching questions; they lost their final eight wickets for 24 runs in 15 overs after looking short-priced favourites to clinch a third consecutive win only an hour beforehand.

Keith Bell (67) had received good support from opening partner Tony Wilkinson (26) and Sitanshu Kotak (31) as Wardens’ quest for 207 progressed serenely to 114 for two.

However, Ricketts’ dismissal of the second-wicket duo, plus Tom Allin (11), then triggered a collapse of seismic proportions.

The hosts’ final six batsmen managed two runs between them as a combination of Ricketts’ wicket-to-wicket accuracy, and the flight and guile of young leg-spinner Sultan Afzaal (three for 37) turned the match on its head in a crazy 40-minute spell.

Acting skipper Martin Donald and last man Tom Brammer battled through four overs before Ricketts struck for a sixth time with the final ball of the match, courtesy of a brilliant leg-side catch from keeper Chris Booth, to clinch an unbelievable triumph for the visitors.

Earlier, on a slow-but-flat Glasshouse Park surface, Walmley’s total was built around Chris Howell (34) and Chris Booth (35), plus a breezy 74-ball half-century from Peter McKay.

His contribution, plus some powerful lower-order hitting from Ricketts (21), allowed Walmley to post a total 25 in excess of what seemed likely after tidy opening spells from Allin and Dan Wood and six wickets shared between spinners Dan Vernon and Kotak.

These late inroads from Walmley’s lengthy batting line-up proved crucial later in the day before Ricketts’ remarkable and decisive intervention clinched the points.

Four wickets apiece for teenagers Tom Ballinger and Brad Sanders steered Wardens 2nds to a comfortable nine-wicket win over crisis-club Evesham.

On the day when their 1st XI became the first Birmingham League side this year to suffer relegation, Evesham’s ten-man 2nd team achieved the not inconsiderable feat of conceding the toss due to late arrival for a home game.

This allowed medium-pacer Sanders to take full advantage of a damp pitch and heavy conditions to find the movement which produced four early scalps at a personal cost of 16 runs.

Although Rizwan and Muhammad Asif struck some defiant blows and veteran Bob Gittins delayed the inevitable with a dogged knock, fine catches from Luke Salisbury and Chris Baynes helped Ballinger (4-17) to polish off the tail, leaving Wardens a victory target of 68.

Despite losing Mike Challis-Brown in the first over of the reply, Dan Phillips led the way with a polished unbeaten 37, while James Ray finished with 19 as the visitors cruised home in the 19th over.