Reed’s 2nd XI were looking to consolidate their position in the promotion place of Division 6 of the Herts League, but a poor display left them losing and taking on 14 points from the game. Winning the toss on what looked like a batting paradise and asking Letchworth III to field looked a good call by skipper Baz Curtis.
He opened with William Heslam and the two didn’t look in any real trouble as the moved the score along to 39 without loss. Heslam was driving down the ground beautifully and Curtis was putting the bad ball away well. Curtis decided to run the ball down the 3rd man rather than fully attack it and only managed to edge the ball to the keeper.
Fergus Martin joined young Heslam and they added 19 before Martin got a leading edge and was easily caught. Heslam continued to find the boundary regularly, but Letchworth had now turned to their spin bowlers and Reed were beginning to look less positive. Richard Johnson was caught before for 11 and at 94-3 the game was finally balanced. Marcus Martin looked like he might be able to dominate the bowling and again seemed in control. Heslam and Martin had added 12 more when Heslam reached a well deserved 50, including 9 fours. Within a few balls he was well caught at a short third man and all of a sudden Reed were 4 down.
That became 5 when Martin was out LBW and then 124-6 and 137-7. This was never a 137-7 wicket and Reed were looking down the barrel. They had plenty of over to bat, but they need a decent partnership to have any chance of putting the visitor under pressure.
Mitchell Cooper and Kallum Ward set about this task well. They batted very sensibly and with some good running and picking the right ball to attack put on a valuable 41. Cooper went for 20 and the last two wickets went done again very quickly. Ward was the last man out for an excellent 38. Bishton was the pick of the Letchworth bowlers taking 5-42 from 10 overs.
Reed needed early wickets and Chris Peckett delivered. Despite his first 2 balls going for 4 he bowled White for 8 and then had Simon stumped down the leg side by Sean Tidey with an excellent take. Kallum Ward also struck early and although the visitors had plenty of over to get the 188 they needed Reed looked in the hunt. Bishton and Curry had other ideas. They put on 75 for the 4th wicket before Mitchell Cooper tempted Bishton to cut a short ball straight to Roddi Liebenberg in the gully for a good 41.
Peter Tidey struck twice more for the home side in quick succession. He finally removed Curry for an aggressive 62 and had Gillham lbw for 4. Reed had chances through out the innings, but missed some tough catches that might have swung the game their way, but it would have been an injustice of Reed had managed to get out of this hole. The visitors look the winning 30 points home with them, and Reed took just 14.
