Reed were away at Harpenden IIs on Saturday, in what turned in to an enthralling game. With Harpenden still having their coaches comments ringing in their ears about not being good enough to get promoted, Reed knew Harpenden would come at them hard from the start.
Batting first, James Heslam and Liam McKechnie played superbly against the best opening attack they had seen all season. Reed players were hoping the slow start would lay a solid start to their innings. Despite having only 28 off 13 overs, Heslam and McKechnie slowly built the pace up throughout the innings. Both reaching 50 shortly after each other and matching each other throughout the innings. With the field now spread Heslam and McKechnie, continued to stroke the ball in to gaps and dispensing the bad balls for 4.
Heslam was the first to go for 90, after playing the captains part in the opening partnership of 181 in less than 40 overs. Heslam was out playing an expansive shot to take the game away from the home side. McKechnie reached his first league hundred for Reed, before getting out shortly after for 107, hitting 15 4s and facing 183, in a superfluous innings.
Chris Jackson managed to keep the scoreboard ticking scoring 20, however all the other Reed batsman did not have time to get in as Reed declared on 244-7
Reed without Graham Wilson, 1 part of their inform bowling attack knew that had to bowl well from the start and get the best of the luck possible. Kallum Ward (1-24) making his first appearance for the first team of the season got the interesting looking overseas player our with his second ball, with the umpire having no choice but to give him out LBW.
This bought to the wicket ex-Langleybury batsman Greg Cooper, who had always scored runs against Reed in epic Village Cup games, With Reed interested to see why he dropped down the league to play at Harpenden IIs, Reed were glad to see Cooper out for an unimpressive 31 with a poor full bunger from Will Dobson (2-54).
At 59-3, young Ed Washington was bought to the wicket. At a pivotal stage in the game Washington showed his class early on hitting a 6 with his first scoring shot. With partnerships building and Reed managing to get the senior players out, whatever they tried they could not get young Washington out despite having numerous lives including being bowled by Dobson off a no ball from the slow bowler.
Needing 70 off the last 15 overs with 5 wickets left, Harpenden were in the box seat and wickets were needed but unfortunately the main breakthrough of getting Washington out did not happen with him reaching a classy 110 not out taking his team to victory with 11 balls and 4 wickets to spare. Senior strike bowler Lee Johnson bowled well in taking 2 wickets but through his two spells he had not luck at all.
Reed captain James Heslam, was “disappointed to lose but thought we put on another good show. Geech (McKechnie) batted superbly again and it was great for him to get his first league ton in England or Oz. It’s a shame we did not deservedly get the youngster out, as bar him and their two opening bowlers we looked the better side. Hopefully we can finish well in the coming weeks against Letchworth and Old Albanians to end up where we deserve this year”
