After winning their first match of the season in the new Herts Championship League Reed had suffered 2 x rain affected weeks and also 2 x League defeats, to league leaders Hertford and most recently a narrow defeat to previous Homes Counties Championship side West Herts CC.
However, after Saturdays weather proved less wet than widely forecast, Reed got back into winning ways with a comprehensive win over long time rivals Langleybury CC from Watford.
Langleybury won the toss and put Reed in to bat but the decision soon looked unwise as new Reed opening partnership of William Heslam and Sam Fairbrother set off at a cracking pace and soon had the visitors questioning their decision as the score raced to 50 for 0 wicket. Fairbrother then fell LBW for a fine 32 and Heslam was joined by recent Reed recruit Alex Mutucumarana. Alex has family connections with Reed being the son in law of the Reed Fixture Secretary and he soon looked right at home as his crisp strokeplay gelled well the fluent young Will Heslam who was stroking the ball majestically around the ground. Heslam passed his first league 50 of the season and moved into the 80’s as the pair put on 96 at a good rate and took the Reed total to 151 before each fell with the score on 151 Heslam for 82 and Mutucumarama for 36. Chris Jackson 36, Tom Greaves 12 and Sean Tidey 22 all made useful late contribution for Reed who eventually totaled 233 – 9 in their allocated 51 Ov ers.
Reed soon got amongst the Langleybury wickets when the visitors took to the batting stage. Wickets fell at 12-1, 17-2, and then bottomed out at 48-5, at which point the match looked as if it might be in for a very early finish! However, Ross Channer led the Langleybury fight back and despite wickets falling fairly regularly at the other end at one stage it almost looked as if Channer might lead Langleybury to a most unlikely win. However the Reed persistence and excellent fielding took their persistent toll and the visitors final succumbed at 176 all out – a defeat by 57 runs with just 2.1 overs of the match left. Tom Greaves 17 Overs 3-65 and Alex Mutucumarana 7 Overs 2-14 were Reeds main wicket takers as the side registered an emphatic 2nd League win and the losers returned home chastened in the knowledge that the very next day they had to return to Reed to do it all again – this time in the 40 Over National Village Cup competition Herts and Beds Area Final.
