On Sunday, 2012 winners Reed travelled to local rivals and 2015 finalists Foxton in the last 32 of the National Village Cup.
With a lot more than bragging rights at stake, Foxton skipper Adam Webster won the toss and chose to bat. Foxton got off to a flying start, finding the boundary before Toby Fynn (7-0-31-2) made a breakthrough for Reed, having Alex Hooley caught behind by Richard Wharton for 14 in the 7th over.
Dave Fagan and Webster kept on the front foot and accelerated The Foxes to 94-1 in the 16th over before Karl Ward (8-0-27-2) had Webster caught by William Heslam at cover for a well constructed 40. Jeff Douglas was the next Foxton batsman to the crease and after a change of bats, he too succumbed to Ward, holing out to Reed skipper Jack Tidey on the edge of the ring at mid off. At 104-3, the tide of the game was changing and when James Coe was well caught by Toby Fynn off the bowling of Matt Sampson (8-0-34-1) , Reed began to put the squeeze on the opposition. However, not to be deterred by wickets falling, Fagan was plodding away at the other end and he soon had Paul Dean (35) for support in the middle, taking the score to 165-4. A rush of blood accounted for Fagan as he was bowled by part-time spinner Rob Lankester (2-0-12-2) for 68 and 165-5 soon became 165-6 as Ed Goff patted one back to Lankester for his second wicket in as many overs. Dean soon followed after a sharp catch behind the stumps from Wharton off the bowling of Sean Tidey (8-0-29-2) as the Foxton innings began to capitulate and wickets fell regularly before they finished on 188-9 from their 40 overs.
In reply and with no real need to rush, Reed started well and played their way to 58-0 from 14 overs.
However, Richard Wharton fell to Gunn-Roberts for 30. This bought the impressive Lankester to the crease and he too played freely as the score moved along nicely from a Reed point of view. Reed made it to 97-1 at drinks meaning that they required 92 off 120 balls.
Three overs after the break though, Foxton struck when Lankester was adjudged LBW to Dean (7-0-32-2) for 26. Heslam was playing well and anchoring the Reed innings on his way to 44 before being giving out caught behind to a ball that appeared to be nowhere near the bat. 127-3. After this decision, Reed were reliant upon the experienced heads of Chris Jackson (19) and Matt Sampson. They pushed the ball around well and ran hard to put the Foxton fielders under pressure before Jackson top edged a shot and was brilliantly caught by Ada Cambridge as the ball came down with snow on it. Sean Tidey came and went, which led to the atmosphere around the ground changing completely.
However, Reed nerves were being settled by the regular flow of boundaries from the fantastic Sampson who went on the get 37 not out. It was left to number 7, Ed Garrott to hit the winning runs after pummeling 2 fours in an over to secure a 5 wicket win for Reed with 2 overs to spare and to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.
Reed will now face Sussex based Mayfield on 9th July at The Green.
Report submitted by Mr J.P. Timson.
