Potters Bar II

Reed were asked to bowl and Graham Wilson and Lee Johnson both again started brilliantly finding the right areas straight away. Johnson was beating the batsman with pace and Wilson similarly with subtle movement both ways. Wilson got the first 2 wickets, firstly with an easy LBW decision for the umpire and secondly with what could only be described as ball of the season. With Potters Bar batsman at the other end to experienced Palmer (74) deciding to play some interesting shots to tight bowling, Potters Bar continued to lose wickets. Wilson bowled 13 overs 2-45 and Johnson 17 overs 2-53, before being replaced by Will Clarke and Will Dobson. Clarke returned to the quality of bowling he last produced in 2005 taking 1-26 off 10, whilst Dobson produced a spell of variety in his 2-54.

With Potters Bar scoring 185-7, Reed knew they would have to get off to a good start and this is exactly what James Heslam and Liam McKechnie did. Reed took the attack to Potters Bar but still managing to defend when the delivery deserved it. Reed raced to 83 off 17 overs with Potters Bar using 5 different and unsuccessful bowling options in this short time. With rain looming all around Heslam (36) was first to go playing a very expansive shot trying to quicken the run rate before the heavens opened.

With no Duckworth Lewis Method in the Herts League, when overs are lost to rain, batting teams end up having to score the same amount of runs but just in less overs. So with Reed needing what seemed an easy 94 off 27 overs before the rain they now needed a tougher 94 off 17 overs on a wicket that was now doing something due to the showers. Greaves followed shortly after the players came back on but this bought together Reed senior batsman Chris Jackson with McKechnie. McKechnie shortly after reached his first league 50 for Reed much to the pleasure of his own mini fan club. However with the ever increasing run rate, Reed had to keep playing their shots. Reed lost McKechnie (61), Frenay and Dobson before Jackson was joined by young Marcus Martin with 6 overs left.

Jackson and Martin put a big impetuous to the Reed innings, with quick running, delightful shots and a big 6 from little Martin. With these two batting Reed knew they could win the game, even with Reed still needing 34 off 5 overs. More improvisation and hard hitting was getting Reed closer and closer to a great run chase win. Reed needed 4 from the last over and Martin decided not to waste time and decided to finish it in one shot, meaning Reed won by 5 wickets with 5 balls to spare with. Jackson finished on 48 and Martin 21.

Reed Captain James Heslam was overjoyed with the win. “We showed great intensity and outplayed Potters Bar throughout the game. However fair played to their captain and their players who were all just as keen as us to get out again after the rain. Lee and Graham both bowled well and it was great that we got off to a good start before the rain. The experience of Chris helped time the run chase perfectly and ‘Cus was superb with him.”