Reed II’s secured a well deserved promotion with a game still to play after victory against Luton Town & the Indians on Saturday, setting up a mouth watering title decider against second placed Hexton next weekend.
After losing the toss, Marcus Martin’s men were asked to field but soon made early inroads into the Luton top order, as first Kallum Ward and then Peter Tidey got into their stride to leave the visitors reeling on 12-3. Ward (4-0-23-2) bowled with real pace to pick up two of these wickets, but it was the guile of Tidey that continued to do the damage for Reed as he struck twice more to reduce Luton to 43-5.
Alex Kelly (13.5-5-42-3) replaced Ward and took no time to get into his own rhythm, as he and Tidey combined to remove the final 5 Luton wickets. Tidey achieving another 5 wicket haul as he reached an astonishing 56 wickets for the season, ending with match figures of 17-10-18-5. Luton had been bowled out for 94 inside 35 Overs.
Reed knew that a win would all but secure promotion, no matter what went on elsewhere. However, they got off to a shaky start as first Phil Frenay (4) was caught behind, before skipper Marcus Martin skied an attempted moo to mid off for 13. Reed were shaking on 24-2 and Luton smelt blood. Fergus Martin remained calm however and he and Richard Johnson steadied the ship to take Reed past the halfway point. Just when things were looking assured Johnson danced down the track only to miss the ball and give the left arm spinner his 3rd wicket.
57-3 then became 68-4 as Reed stuttered towards their target, this time it was Ferg that went as he was harshly adjudged LBW for a measured 21. When Karl Ward went an over later, the nerves began to jangle in the home dressing room. However Kallum Ward strode to the crease and effortlessly dispatched 3 boundaries in an over as he sped to 16. However, with only 5 needed to win, he too was given out LBW by the increasingly twitchy fingered umpire. Reed now 90-6 left it to Roddi Liebenberg (5 not out) and Michael Robertson (also 5 not out) to finish the game, which they duly obliged.
This 4 wicket win, coupled with Ickleford’s defeat to Eversholt meant Reed II’s were able to celebrate promotion the week before the official climax to the league season. However, the last day proves to be an exciting one, with second place and also promoted Hexton the visitors to the Green in what will be a title decider. Reed hold a 15 point advantage over the visitors, and anything other than a heavy Hexton victory will leave them celebrating being top of the pile come 7.30pm on Saturday.
