With only final league standings to play for Reed 1xi suffered a heavy defeat away to Langleybury.
The toss was crucial on a bowler friendly track from the week’s rain that appeared as if it had not been effectively covered during some of that time and the home side won this and had no hesitation putting Reed into bat. Runs were hard to come by with the ball not coming onto the bat and biting in the pitch made more difficult by some very accurate Langleybury bowling.
Will Heslam went for the first of three reed ducks and although James Heslam and promising looking new signing Matt Sampson dug in to take the score to 29-1 this was at a slow rate. Unfortunately James Heslam (7) and Sampson (10) then went in quick succession looking to start to accelerate the score. Although Chris Jackson (25) and Tom Greaves (7) settled well to take Reed to 53-3 once Greaves went Reed suffered a bad collapse with only Jack Tidey (13) getting in at all. The innings subsided to 82 all out off 39 overs.
In reply the Langleybury openers rode their luck a little but chasing a small total played pretty well and positively to secure the win. Jack Tidey (6-0-24) and Phil Lill (2-0-3) were the pick of the Reed bowlers on a day to forget.
Reed’s final game is at home to Stevenage. A win will see them finish 4th or 5th and a defeat could mean 6th, either way a mid-table finish seems a fair reflection on a tricky season in a competitive division.
