The Thirds finished the season with a subdued performance against relegation candidates West Herts III. Having secured promotion the previous week the goal was to finish as runners up.
Winning the toss, Maseeh Naeem asked the visitors to bat first. In the absence of three key bowlers, Louis Fitzgerald and George Garrott lead the Reed attack. Both bowlers bowled well enough to give catching chances early in the innings. With only 21 on the board, the Reed fielders managed to drop both opening bats allowing West Herts to reach 87 without loss.
The unlucky Fitzgerald and Garrott were replaced by Chris West (6-0-0-37) and James Hooper (7-0-2-27); it was Hooper that got the break through bowling both openers. West Herts batted stubbornly and their score steadily increased.
Not for the first time this season the introduction of spinner Matthew Naeem (10-2-2-34) allowed Reed to buy some wickets, bowling in tandem with skipper Maseeh Naeem (9-1-3-30), the passage of play saw 5 wickets fall. Fitzgerald (10-1-0-44) and Garrott (8-1-1-32) returned in an attempt to end the West Herts innings with only Garrott managing to pick up a wicket.
Reeds fielding performance was poor, 5 dropped catches allowed the visitors to post a score of 218 for 8 declared after 50 overs, probably 50 runs more than they should have been allowed.
Reed’s reply started badly, openers Aiden swain (2) was given out LBW with the score on 14 and Paul Garrott (9) was bowled without the score board moving. The Thirds highest run scorer Ian Fulk arrival at the crease brought some hope to the innings but the loss of two partners in quick succession left Reed on 21 for 4.
Steve Lovegrove joined Fulk and the two went about re-building the Reed innings. The pair put on a partnership of 104 before Lovegrove was caught behind after reaching his 50. The innings then collapsed with only George Garrott (12) managing to get into double figures. Only 32 runs were added for the last 5 wickets and Reed slumped to 167 all out in the 41st over. Fulk managed to get 63 before being bowled.
As it happens the loss did not prevent Reed III finishing as runner up, and the win did not prevent West Herts III being relegated to division 11. This is a game Reed should not have lost, a better fielding performance and a little more application with the bat as demonstrated by Fulk and Lovegrove would have seen Reed take all 30 points.
That being said, this was a good season for the Thirds, thanks to all the players who have turned out and have made it a successful and very enjoyable season.
