Reed 1XI recorded their second Herts League victory of the season in Divison 1 against Letchworth away on Saturday as they trounced the hosts by 35 runs in an all round performance with bat, ball and in the field. It also marked a successful weekend for the club as they recorded a 90 point victory for the club, with wins for the 1XI, 2XI and 3XI.
Having lost the toss and being asked to bat, Reed racked up 225 for 6 on a good batting wicket in 52 overs. Despite the early loss of Baz Curtis (7) to Oxford University bowler Ed Morse (11-1-47-1), skipper James Heslam (64) and Joe Curk (81) plundered runs off Morse, S Franke-Matt (8-0-45-0), A Newland (9-2-32-0) and A Jenkins (5-0-30-0). Their 137 run partnership set the platform for an all round batting performance, that saw Curk dominate the bowling attack scoring his 81 in 113 balls, his fifty in only 73 deliveries. Heslam built his innings patiently. Marked by some punishing cuts and pulls, the pair drove Reed towards maximum batting points. When Curk fell LBW to D Marsh (19-3-65-4), it brought Chris Jackson to the crease who picked up where Curk finished by building a patient 40 off 56 deliveries. But Heslam then fell with the score on 169 to Marsh in the deep, and Phil Frenay (14), Will Dobson (2) and Simon Jackson (1) could not muster resistance as the former two were stumped off Marsh, and the latter run out trying to stimulate the score in the closing overs. William Clarke (5*) then joined Jackson (40*) in the closing over to pull the score to 225 for 6.
Following the tea interval, T Cranston (45) and J Hilliard (24) began strongly against Andy Young (5-1-26-0) and Peter Tidey (13-2-44-3). It took a breakthrough from Tidey when he had Hilliard caught by Chris Jackson at midwicket, to start the ball rolling, with the score on 47. The score did not advance further, as S Franke-Matt was bowled for a golden duck by Tidey, leaving the hosts on 47-2 off 10 overs. Reed sensed they were back in the game and Lee Johnson’s (8-1-25-1) introduction into the attack showed some real venom and extracted some extravagant bounce from the pitch as he removed T Simmons (15) with a viscious bouncer, again caught by Chris Jackson at gulley.
S Elliott (32) with Cranston, built some momentum for Letchworth, and look like they could push towards the total, as it advanced to 152 before William Clarke was introduced into the attack. Bowling with some uncharacteristic pace, the former opening bowler progressively sliced through the Letchworth attack as he had Cranston removed with a nasty short delivery, thanks to a diving one handed catch by wicket keeper Simon Jackson – one of his 3 catches that day. This brought S March (27) to the crease, who with Elliott, began to dominate the attack, but Clarke struck again as he had Elliott caught by Baz Curtis in the covers. Will Dobson (4-0-25-1) then had March caught at deep mid wicket by Andy Young, in what was a key wicket. Clarke then pounced to take a further 3 wickets and finish the game, together with Peter Tidey and claim the 30 points. Letchworth were removed for 189 off 42.2 overs.
James Heslam, skipper, commented: “This was a great win for us. We all did our jobs in the team and took responsibility for the victory. We built good and patient partnerships, fielded well and applied pressure at the right times when we made breakthroughs managing close them down at the right time”
Reed are due to face Hoddesdon at home on Saturday.
