Reed’s Fourth XI hosted Letchworth’s Fifth XI at the Freman Oval on Saturday. Lloyd Bowman won the toss and asked the visitors to bat. Reed opened the bowling with youngsters Jake Gifford (Buntingford End) and Jack Wilkerson (Reed End). After a cautious opening couple of overs Letchworth Opener Connor Pond from set off on a match defining innings. He punished both Gifford (7-0-53-0) and Wilkerson (4-0-47-0) as the 50 was brought up in the sixth over. A change of bowling altered nothing and Pond took a particular liking to Steve Hughes (4-0-74-0) hitting him for thirty in one over, although he was dropped on the boundary three times in the process. The run rate accelerated to above ten an over and the 100 came up in just the eleventh over. Reed was looking down the barrel of a gigantic score.
On Pond went, passing his own century and 150 before the eighteenth over. Martin Johnson bowled Letchworth’s other opener Cruttenden for 20 out of an opening partnership of 189. Nowland soon followed for just 4 also bowled by Johnson. Heath joined Pond and on he went on, although pushing his luck as Reed failed to pouch a further three chances to dismiss him. He brought up his double century with yet another boundary. With Letchworth’s score on 284, it proved to be lucky seven for the hosts when Johnson bowled a beautiful slower ball to Pond who picked out Ben Mansfield at deep mid-on and he was finally out for 229.
Reed needed to limit Pond’s damage and Neil Haslam (8-0-51-4) with his inswing and away cut and Johnson’s variety of pace (7-0-70-3) put the brakes on Letchworth’s middle order as wickets began to fall regularly When Haslam bowled Stewart for 0, Letchworth declared on 304 for 7 off of a mere 31 overs.
How would Reed respond, Paul Garrott and Martin Johnson opened and played with care in the opening overs, punishing any loose deliveries. However, it was that young man Connor Pond again who forced Garrott into a missed time shot and he was caught and bowled for 18 with the score on 25. Ollie Dawson failed to trouble the scorer as he was bowled by Pond in his next over and Reed was wobbling at 25-2. In came Bill Mansfield and he and Johnson set about rebuilding the Reed innings.
Mansfield wasted no time in asserting himself at the crease and he and Johnson began to mount a more than spirited fight back, could Reed pull off an improbable run chase. Mansfield brought up his 50 first but fell to an astonishing recovery catch by; yes you’ve guessed it, Pond off of the bowling of the Letchworth Skipper Gillham (7-0-37-1). Ben Mansfield now came to the wicket but Pond pounced again catching him at deep square leg off of Fernando (12-0-76-1). Letchworth scented a chance of forcing victory. Steve Hughes was run out for just 2 and Reed was now 127 for 5. Johnson reached a well-deserved fifty and him and skipper Bowman dug in to start a recovery. With the score on 144, Johnson fell to left-armer Stewartson for a marvelous 60. Jake Gifford fell soon after to the same bowler (148-6). Bowman, who had held out for 7, became Stewartson’s third victim. Johnny Adams played a brief cameo of 8 coming off of two boundaries. He perished at the hands of mid-off becoming Stewartson’s fourth wicket (5-0-25-4). Reed was now 173 for 9 and had 19 overs to survive. Jack Wilkerson and Neil Haslam both set about trying to deny Letchworth victory. Wilkerson punished any loose deliveries, whilst Haslam was more than willing to stonewall as the situation demanded. Eleven further overs were survived and Letchworth were starting to feel as if this last wicket partnership was going to prevent them from winning. However, in his twelfth and final over, Pond gained his third wicket (11.3- 3-42-3) as Wilkerson feathered a ball to be caught behind for 21 valuable runs. Haslam was left 1 not out, as Reed was dismissed for 201 in the 42nd Over. A Letchworth victory by 103 runs. Reed picked up 7 valuable bonus points.
Reed travel to Northampton Exiles Threes next week.
Report submitted by Neil Haslam.
