Reed maintained their top-of-the-table position on Saturday as they picked up their fourth successive 30 points in as many games after toppling Totteridge by 68 runs in a wet finish to the game. Reed now have the maximum 120 points from their 4 Herts League games, and are already showing ominous signs of form for the remainder of the season.
Having won the toss, skipper James Heslam elected to bat, continuing Reed’s fine run at setting challenging totals. True to form, Heslam (58) and Curtis (80) did not let their side down as the pair brandished some expansive strokes to build a first innings partnership of 147 in only 27 overs. Curtis, Reed 1XI’s leading League run scorer so far this season, played some punishing off and cover drives, whilst Heslam demonstrated some text book shots of his own. Both openers A Sutaira (12-2-57-0) and Siddiqui (8-1-42-0) suffered. It was only when Imran Khan (19-1-78-5) was introduced to the attack, and he found his line, did Totteridge begin to find rewards.
Khan urged Heslam into playing a loose stroke to point, and shortly thereafter Curtis fell caught behind of a fine edge. With new batsmen Richard Johnson (0) and Chris Jackson (45) at the crease, Reed hoped to consolidate, but Khan struck again having Johnson, caught at short midwicket, with a lazy shot for a duck.
Totteridge looked like they were on top, but a thoughtful innings from both C Jackson and William Clarke (32) steadied the ship, as the pair batted responsibly defending good balls, and punishing poor deliveries to build a partnership of 71 taking the score to 218 in 48 overs. Both Clarke and Jackson fell trying to push the score in the closing overs, but this gave Marcus Martin (5*) and former captain Simon Jackson (12*), only dismissed once this season, to continue and take the score to 243 off 52 overs, Reed electing to save an extra over to bowl to Totteridge.
Buoyed by a banquet-like tea, Totteridge set about chasing the total in an aggressive manner, Hussain scoring 20 off 17 balls. He was well supported by his fellow opener, M Crutchlow (47). It was only when Peter Tidey (6-1-35-1), strangely missing his usual metronomic accuracy this week, did Hussain err offering a chance which was taken by Heslam at mid off, with a tricky catch off a well struck ball. Graham Wilson (8-1-20-0), who accompanied Tidey with the new ball, bowled well without success. Yet, as Totteridge reached 98-1 off 24 overs, the signs looked bleak for Reed. It took a special delivery from Richard Johnson (6-0-20-1), and two wickets in two balls from William Clarke (4-0-21-2) to swing the match back in Reed’s favour. At 103-4, Johnson and Clarke were removed from the attack, as the skipper opted to take pace off the ball and introduce spinners C Jackson (7.2-2-23-2) and E Garrott (7-0-35-4) into the attack. Their effect was immediate, as Simon Jackson stumped dangerous Crutchlow off his brother’s bowling and Garrott took 2 early wickets. His rout continued as he bagged a couple of subsequent wickets, also thanks to a sharp catch by Chris Jackson on the boundary. Despite heavy drizzle, the umpires persisted, and Reed willingly obliged by trapping Soomro (22) LBW to finalise their innings on 175 off 38.2 overs.
Reed skipper, James Heslam, commented: “This was again a great performance by our batters – we are consistently performing at the top of the order providing great starts for the bowlers to bowl at. I was very impressed by Ed’s and Chris’s bowling today, as well as the responsible way our batsmen held the innings together when we lost a couple of quick wickets. I couldn’t ask for more at this stage”
