Reed narrowly missed out on promotion on the final game of the season despite an exciting run chase against Dunstable. Requiring a win, along with fellow challengers Cockfosters to slip up, Reed always knew the odds were against them but gallantly chased the unknown only to fall short at the final hurdle.
Requiring to chase the game, Reed took to the field looking to restrict Dunstable to a gettable target. However, on a flat track the Dunstable batsman were rarely challenged by the Reed bowlers and moved the ball around with relative ease. Wickets were slow in coming, but it was the introduction of Tom Greaves (6-84) who peppered away at the Dunstable batsman in a marathon spell of spin bowling. Runs were too easy to come by, contributed by some solid batting and some uncharacteristically loose bowling, which saw Dunstable amass 238 all out in their 53 overs.
Reed only had one game plan, and this was symbolised by the approach Heslam and Mckechnie took in the opening 11 overs, amassing 83 until Mckechnie was unfortunate to be runout for 28. Heslam was joined by Chris Jackson (75) and the pair chipped away at the total as the slow bowlers set themselves in for the afternoon.
Heslam, topping off an excellent season with the bat achieved his half century before snicking one to the keeper for 53. Reed lost Greaves without troubling the scorers, and this saw the game quickly turn in the favour of Dunstable. Jack Tidey (18), pushed up the order after his recent fine form, assisted Jackson well before also snicking one behind.
Two more quick wickets saw Reed reduced to 6 wickets requiring 69 off the last ten overs. Jackson was commanding the run chase, despite losing partners, but in Sean Tidey he thought he found the winning man.
As the game turned in the balance for Reed, Jackson and Tidey edged closer to the total. The game quickly turned again when Tidey was bowled and Lee Johnson quickly followed. Requiring 18 to win off 12 balls it fell to Jackson to shield the strike off Chris Peckett. Going for the big shots, Jackson fell with 5 balls remaining for an excellent 75, leaving Reed 13 runs short, and ended an excellent game of cricket and saw the end to Reed’s promotion hopes.
All was to be in vain when Reed heard the news that promotion contenders Cockfosters achieved the required points in their fixture to attain promotion, making the game irrelevant in light of this result. However, an excellent game of cricket to finalise a fruitful season for this young Reed team, whom will only get better over time.
