Reed were away to Northwood Town on Saturday in their bid to pick up winning ways and surge towards top of the table by beating one of the Division’s weaker teams. However, it was not to be as both sides had to settle for 10 points as Northwood Town’s reply was stunted by heavy and persistent rain shortly after tea.
Losing the toss, Reed were asked to bat on a green and traditionally lively wicket similar to that of Sabina Park, but without the West Indian weather and picture postcard surroundings.
The wicket offered immediate and exaggerated assistance to the bowlers as D Bushnell (13-2-64-1) and Richard Doling (11-3-29-0) created some early difficulties for James Heslam (52) and Baz Curtis (25) with unpredictable bounce and sharp seam movement. However, the Reed pair weathered accurate spells to build a strong opening partnership of 44, thanks to a straight six from Curtis and a glorious hook for the maximum by Heslam off Bushnell. When Curtis finally fell trying to guide the ball to third man, but instead feeding second slip, Heslam assumed the reins of responsibility as he and Chris Jackson (31) structured a slow but consistent partnership to take the score to 98 highlighted by two or three crushing square cuts. Northwood Town’s second string bowlers also failed to glean any wickets, until part time bowler and skipper Raj Ahluwalia (13-4-46-7) put himself on to bowl his medium paced left arm swingers. He immediately had Heslam caught by the wicket keeper with a loose stroke and Chris Jackson soon followed with an ill considered drive that instead rearranged his off and middle stumps. With Karl Ward (5), promoted in the order, trying to force the pace as clouds gathered together with Tom Fulk (34), Reed sought to set a challenging total of what they considered to be approximately 160. Ward however soon holed out with a rash stroke, and it was left to William Clarke (27) and Fulk to steady the ship, and try to advance the score. Fulk struggled to score freely early on, so it was left to the traditionally conservative Clarke to force the pace, as he drove the ball freely punishing poor deliveries. Fulk too soon managed to find his feet as he crucified the skippers swingers, particularly over the midwicket boundary. The score had advanced at an alarmingly high run rate for 10 overs, as Clarke and Fulk provided some backbone to the innings, until Clarke, aspiring for the maximum was caught on the ropes at midwicket. Fulk continued in his fine form, as Marcus Martin (9) came to the crease, until he was well caught in the covers to a ball he failed to control. Richard Johnson lasted 1 ball, so it was left to dependable Simon Jackson (16*) to run hard between the wickets with Martin. They managed to take the score to 198, until Martin was bowled trying to secure maximum batting points at 200. Jackson and Ed Garrott (3*) managed to reach the target, as Heslam decided to declare with the score on 201 for 8 off 51 overs.
The clouds gathered throughout tea, and the drizzle began. William Clarke (3-2-5-0) opening with the new ball extracted some early variable bounce and was unlucky not to claim an early wicket at short leg. Peter Tidey (3-0-15-0) bowled with his usual metronomic accuracy as a flamboyant cameo from C Newman (19*) entertained the crowds, but was ultimately destined to be limited, cut short by heavier rain that set its mark on the ground for the remainder of the afternoon.
Under the regulations of the Hertfordshire league, a full game was not deemed to have been completed, 26 overs in the second innings being required to be bowled. Both teams duly took 10 points, but to Reed’s chagrin Berkhamsted leading the Division managed to complete a victory extending their lead and promotion bid.
James Heslam commented: “I am disappointed that the weather intervened, and especially that with its patchy nature, it meant that some teams in the County completed games. We batted superbly on a very dicey surface, and our bowlers were revved up to extract the same uneven bounce to push for a victory. It makes promotion tighter for us, but we have the personnel to see that it can be done.”
