Arriving at the Little Berkhamsted ground the sun was shining and the hosts were keen to play on what was a very green and damp pitch. Winning the toss the Reed Skipper Maseeh Naeem asked the hosts to bat. Kallum Ward (10-3-1-27) and Matt Giblin (10-0-2-32) used the conditions well and made life very difficult for the Sahib’s batsman.
Ward’s first spell of 7 overs saw him pick up his one wicket of the day for 8 runs. A change of bowling saw Sahib’s on 44 for 2 after 20 overs, Julian Fynn (11-3-2-35) removing the second Sahib opener. Louis Fitzgerald (10.5-00-28) bowled very well,giving no width but the 3rd wicket stand, with the hard hitting Allum and Patel, threatened to post a big total for Sahibs.
The Sahib’s score was 114 for 2 in the 36th over when Matt Naeem (5-1-1-23) broke the 60 run partnership by bowling Patel (29). This gave Reed an opening and wickets began to fall. Maseeh Naeem picked up 3 for 20 in a 6 over spell. Giblin picked up two wickets in his second spell including the dangerous Allum for 67 and Fynn picked up his 2nd of the day and 21st of the season, leaving Sahib’s innings on 177 all out in 52.5 overs.
The Reed reply was going well with Paul Garrott and Aiden Swain making good progress until a mix up saw Swain run out on 15. John Heslam had just enough time to take guard and hit a single before there was a torrential downpour and the game had to be abandoned with the Reed score on 31 in the 7th over.
This game lasted 60 overs before rain stopped play and the two sides left with 10 points apiece. As Reed only needed 4 to guarantee promotion to division 9 they were the happier of the two sides. Reed remain in 2nd place and a win at home to West Herts next week would see them finish as runners up.
