Saturday saw the return to Hertfordshire Championship League action for Reed against West Herts at The Green. Reed were without Captain, James Heslam but welcomed new signing Alex Mutucumarana to the side since his move from Camden Cricket Club.
Tom Greaves took on the role of leading Reed and started positively by winning the toss and inserting West Herts on a green and slightly damp surface.
The blossoming partnership of Toby Fynn and Jack Tidey opened the bowling for Reed and it was Fynn who took the first wicket, trapping K. Farrell LBW for 10 in the 5th over. Jack Tidey then got in on the act, picking up the wicket of fellow opener A. Lewis for 9 after he snicked one behind to Reed ‘keeper Sean Tidey.
M Smith (50) came to the crease and looked to set about the Reed bowling with purpose. However, after a sharp caught and bowled chance went down, his positive stroke play backfired on his team mate, as another tough caught and bowled chance for Jack Tidey was turned onto the non-strikers stumps; running out A.Maine for just 1.
38-3 soon became 38-4 as the classy Fynn (10-3-33-2) picked up his second wicket. D. Hodges was brilliantly caught behind by Sean Tidey. Another impressive outing for Fynn who is showing Reed just they had been missing after his long spell on the side-line through injury.
Spinners Tom Greaves and Sam Fairbrother were soon bowling in tandem and were troubling the batsmen whilst keeping the run rate down. It was Greaves who made the breakthrough after having the vocal C. Sanders (19) expertly caught at first slip by Reed stalwart Chris Jackson.
Fairbrother picked up the wicket of A. Jain after a spell of probing areas which saw the batsmen bowled for 10, before Greaves (10-1-31-2) picked up the key wicket of M. Smith who was superbly bowled leaving the visitors at 110-7.
I.Gurney and D. Woosley were at the crease together and looked to rebuild for West Herts. The pair put on 38 for the 8th wicket before Fairbrother (10-2-30-2) removed the latter after another expertly taken slip catch by Chris Jackson.
Mitchell Cooper (9-1-26-1) bowled well from both ends and did well to keep the run rate down. He was rewarded with the 9th wicket to fall, bowling P. Ferrett for 2.
Jack Tidey (8.2-1-32-2) returned up the hill to remove number 11, D Kendal for a duck to bring the West Herts innings to a close on 156 in 47.2 overs.
In reply, Reed got off to a poor start losing the in-form Sean Tidey LBW to the first of 4 questionable umpiring decisions in the Reed innings. Reed were soon 7-2 after debutant Mutucumarana was adjudged to have been caught behind to a ball which has missed his outside edge. William Heslam and Chris Jackson patiently set about rebuilding the Reed innings before Heslam was caught in close with the score on 38.
This brought Tom Greaves to the crease. Greaves and Jackson looked comfortable, putting away the bad ball and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Greaves in particular was the aggressor as he played his was to a classy 30 before he was caught on the square leg boundary for 30. Chris Jackson was the next Reed batsmen to fall after his patient knocked of 35 from 103 balls anchored the Reed innings.
At 96-5 Stuart Smith and Kallum Ward came together but both fell for single figures leaving the Reed chase struggling on 104-7. Sam Fairbrother and Mitchell Cooper set about chasing the remaining 53 for victory with Fairbrother hitting 2 fours and a mammoth 6 on his way to 20.
After Mitchell Cooper was bowled by the pick of the West Herts bowlers, D. Hodges (9-1-17-4) it was up to the powerful Jack Tidey and Toby Fynn but Fynn was bowled in the same over leaving Reed 22 short of victory.
Next week sees Reed in action at The Green as they face up against rivals Langleybury in the Hertfordshire Championship on Saturday and again in The National Village Cup Area Final on Sunday.
