Our 1st Xl continued their recent demolition of the teams of the major town and cities in Hertfordshire, following last weeks crushing of Hitchin with a comprehensive win over St Albans. A thoroughly competent all-round performance saw the home side bowled out for 200 in under 49 overs and Reed comfortably knock off the required total with 8 overs to spare and only 3 wickets down. The equally in form 2nd Xl added to the diocese city’s need for divine intervention by skitteling their 3rd Xl for 72 and then knocking off the runs for the loss of only 2 wickets. The 3rd Xl had the privilege of a joyous trip to the Rickmansworth 2nd ground but had the consolation of returning with the full 30 points. The southwest Herts misery was completed when Chorleywood lV made a late concession to Reed lV giving our 4ths their first 30Pts of the season! A disappointing day for our 11 Cricketers to have no match at very late notice but the £100 Fine that should be awarded to Reed will come in handy! Sundays CCC fixture against East Side got off to a worrying and chaotic start when the visitors arrived very late for the fixture. However, once the match started it provided more lengthy entertainment than the previous Sundays match, but unsurprisingly before a much smaller crowd of onlookers! So a good weekend results wise and all our players seemingly getting into top gear, albeit a little too late for a 2013 re-visit to Lords!
My first month “Blogs” seem to have touched a few “nerves” in some sensitive quarters / places. I have in some quarters been accused of being “carping”, “negative” and “downbeat” but some frank external assessment/comment of issues/events might just provoke some self-examination. Any self-improvement process, of individuals or teams, does not begin with being told how wonderful and flawless one is? It begins with a frank, maybe brutal, assessment of ones flaws and “areas of opportunity”! Any sportsman, or indeed commercial entity, that does not aspire to “continuous improvement” will soon be overtaken and left behind by competitors. There were many throughout the Club that did not prepare for the competitive season, either in the winter nets or in the early practice matches and I’m sorry – but it showed. We are getting there now – and that shows as well.
The sensitivities of the Bloodhound Noses did not end within the Club. Within minutes of my Blog on Tom’s magnificent 5 x consecutive 6’s to finish the match against Flitwick hitting the ether, admittedly with perhaps a hint of journalistic licence therein (Why let all the facts spoil a good story!), an Email hit the Club Website Controllers iPad implying that huge offence was being taken in the cherubic and “holier than thou” quarters of Flitwick! What – Flitwick Sledge? – Never!! Well sorry – apart from anything else, the “send off” given to our cherubic 18 year old opener on his straightforward dismissal early in the Reed reply was unnecessary, and 6 months earlier could have involved the club “Welfare Officer”!!!
Onwards and upwards! – Roll on Ampthill and Hertford in the next fortnight. Great days for our players and our Club.
(This Weekly column is written by John Heslam Club Chairman of Reed Cricket Club. The views expressed in the article are his own and do not necessarily comprise those of the Clubs General Committee)
