On Sunday, Reed travelled to Botany Bay in the first round of the National Village Cup. After winning the toss, Reed captain James Heslam decided to bowl on a very green and damp wicket. After Botany Bays opening pair of M.Bott (42) and D.Kaslik (41), got off to a flyer Reed were on the back foot. This was until the introduction of Rupert Martin (9-2-20-4) and Mitchell Cooper (9-1-33-1). Martin bowled with superb control and length to constantly threaten the Bay batsmen. He made the breakthrough with the score on 52, having Bott caught behind by Sean Tidey. Martin struck again with the score on 84, with J. Coleman holing out to Jack Tidey for 9. Mitchell Cooper got in on the act having Bay captain, Kaslik, caught behind.
With the score at 99-3 the game was in the balance. Martin was in fine fiddle and took his third wicket, C.Marchant caught at mid-wicket by Tom Greaves for 6. Martin followed this up with the wicket of M.Harris, LBW for 7, completing a superb spell of bowling.
112-5 soon became 137-6 after I .Shah (14) decided to try and take a quick single and was superbly run out after a direct hit by James Heslam. Reed were in the ascendancy and brought back pace man Lee Johnson (6-1-30-4) who ran through the Botany Bay lower order like a hot knife through butter. Johnson bowled with pace and accuracy as he bowled 3 of the Bay tail and trapped the other LBW.
Reed showed plenty of character and some dogged determination to claw the game back to a winnable position, bowling Botany Bay all out for 149.
Reed went out after tea and looked to exploit any poor deliveries. James Heslam did just this hitting 2 fours and a six moving Reed’s total to 24 before Tom Greaves was adjudged LBW. After Greaves had experience a range of vocabulary from the Botany Bay players, Karl Ward entered the fray and looked to stabilise the innings. However, James Heslam was caught for 20 leaving Reed precariously placed on 25-2.
Village Cup warhorse Stuart Smith was next in and he played a patient innings, making 21 from 50 balls before he and Ward both departed.
The classy Phil Frenay came in at 5 and looked solid from the outset. He played many classy strokes and once Jack Tidey had departed he needed someone to stick with him.
Young Sean Tidey entered the innings with Reed ambling on 64-5. S.Tidey and Frenay ran hard and began to build a partnership. They put on 80 together before Frenay departed for an important and sensible 36.
Sean Tidey had been running well and was striking the ball cleanly. He hit a big 6 on to the pavilion roof to relieve a lot of the pressure on Reed. Tidey played a well-crafted and responsible role; scoring 47 not out from 53 balls, a vital knock and hopefully a sign of things to come for Reed. Tidey won the game with a 4 before leaping and then tumbling in celebration.
A superb fight back from Reed on what was a difficult pitch and tricky conditions.
