Reed travelled to newly promoted County Hall on Saturday looking to emulate their recent good form. Arriving at the ground to the unfamiliar sight of a green damp wicket, the bowlers were licking their lips, only for the batsman to be latterly licking their wounds.
With the forecast set to be sunny, it was inevitable that the pitch would dry out as the day goes on so it was a toss that Reed skipper James Heslam was eager to win. However, having lost the toss and predictably inserted into bat, the Reed batsman struggled to score freely against the ball darting and lifting around off the pitch. The County Hall openers both bowled a marathon spell of good line and length and made batting difficult and slow. Mckechnie was first to go, trying to cut a ball that lifted on him, caught in the gully.
This bought Chris Jackson to the crease, who along with Greaves tried to buy time and see off the new ball, before Greaves was caught at mid-on for 20. At 44-2 and the wicket making life difficult for the Reed batsman, Stuart Smith and Jackson carefully mixed patient batting with some lustier blows. When Smith was out with the score on 98, the game was in the balance. However, Jackson and Ward pushed forward, with the latter punishing anything slightly short of a length in a fine inning of 48.
Jackson was eventually out, caught within the ropes of the boundary for a well built 58. Reed’s middle order manoeuvred the game into commanding position, helped by some tired bowling but some nice stroke play from the likes of Heslam and Liebenberg. Reed declared in the final over for 218-9, a commanding total considering the conditions.
In reply, County Hall got off to a steady start, before Lee Johnson made the early breakthrough with an unplayable inswinging yorker. With the wicket drying out, the County Hall batsman should have made the most of the improved conditions, however some probing bowling from Johnson (4-59) and Chris Peckett (3-49) slowed the innings and created the chances that the Reed fielders took. It was the 15 minute rain break 28 overs into the County Hall innings which finally took the chase way from the home side.
The rain livened up the wicket, so much so two batsman were struck on the head, and despite not wearing helmets fortunately both batsman were relatively unhurt. However, the Reed bowlers took full advantage of the conditions picking up wickets at regular intervals. The consistent Tom Greaves (3-14) spun the bowl hard in a fine spell of tight, controlled bowling which proved too much for the County Hall tail. With 3 overs remaining Reed required just the one wicket, and it was the inform Chris Peckett who delivered the delivery which was well caught at slip, leaving County Hall all out for 147.
A good overall performance from the Reed. Faced with difficult batting conditions, a well timed yet commanding total was too much for the County Hall batsman despite the improving conditions. Reed took their chances in the field, which proved to be vitally important as the overs soon closed in.
County Hall
