Reed went into this match already assured of returning to Division 6 a year after being relegated. Hexton were also promoted, but the question of who would top the table was still up for grabs.
Hexton won the toss and decided there best hope was to bowl Reed out and chase down the runs. Openers Baz Curtis and Phil Freney knew that it was vital Reed didn’t lose early wickets and give the visitors an early lift.
Reed and Buckas opened the attack for Hexton and both bowled a very good opening spell. The usually aggressive was restricted to just one boundary in his 10 over 7 while Frenay was equally circumspect. Curtis went in the 11 over when the score was on 23. This brought in Skipper Marcus Martin. Martin soon found the boundary the openers had trouble finding and the rate began to climb.
The pair had just put on fifty when Andrews bowled Frenay for 22. Rob Lankaster in his first season with the club has had an excellent season at this level and looked in no trouble and had reach 19 in good time before being adjudged LBW. With just over 20 overs to go Reed were well placed at 105-3, but a few wickets now could have turned the match in Hexton’s favour.
Karl Ward had other ideas. He took a liking to Jetuwa hitting him for six. Martin and Ward added 73 in the next 15 overs to put the home side in touching distance of maximum batting points. Martin went for a fine 72 and Ward followed 5 runs later for 56, bowled by Ladla. Reed still have 7 overs left and it looked like they might post 240.
Ladla was proving hard to get away. Roddi Liebenberg was well held in the deep for 4, but by now 200 runs were on the bowled and maximum batting points achieved. This would mean 6 wickets would be enough for the title.
Jack Caine hit a spritely 11, and Tom Walsingham and Alex Kelly ran well between the wickets to add an extra handy 14 runs in the last 4 overs. Hexton would need to get 222 to win and not lose more the 5 wickets if they wanted to be champions.
Tom Walsingham and Peter Tidey made sure Hexton didm’t get off to a flier. It was Tidey who struck first having the dangerous looking Jetuwa LBW for 12. Andrews joined Briekell and soon started to play aggressively. The pair were behind the rate, but if they could keep wickets in hand then a charge at the end was possible.
Alex Kelly replaced Walsingham and had Andrews caught superbly by Marcus Martin leaping of the ground to take a one handed catch. Skipper Smith came to the wicket and looked in good touch and read to launch an assault on the Reed attack. It was Kelly who was to remove the danger man. He drove a low full toss back to at Kelly who managed to hold on to a sharp caught and bowled.
Kelly then removed Briekell for 11 and Reed were just two wickets away from the crown. The championship was secured when gloveman Tim Tidey stumped Pickford for a duck, again off Kelly. The players celebrated in the middle, but were determined to end with a win.
Tidey took his tally to 58 for the season, beating his previous best when Lankaster held a high catch in fading light as the drizzle fell. It was left to Kelly to take the last two wickets to make sure Reed 2nd XI ended the season with another win and be crown champions.
