Reed overcame high flying Dunstable in an exciting, low scoring, encounter on The Green. Toby Fynn sent back both the opposition’s openers cheaply, but once again skipper, Tom Greaves, turned to spin and Sean Tidey soon rewarded him with a couple of wickets. However a stand of 84 beetween Sam Cherry (65) and Matthew Woodcock (52), who survived some sharp chances in the field, appeared to be taking the game away.
After lunch though,Tidey and Greaves (2-82) took control as Dunstable lost their last 6 wickets for 39 and were bowled out for 192 in 51 overs, giving Reed 8 more precious overs to win the game. Tidey kept the match ball, finishing with splendid figures of 17-3-48-6.
The home side needed the cushion of those extra overs as the Cherry brothers kept a tight rein on their reply. Only Ed Wharton’s customary rapid 41 mastered the early bowling. Indeed Reed slipped to 90-5 after tea, but Stuart Smith had been patiently playing himself in. With a match winning innings he scored an unbeaten 62 over two and a half hours facing 150 balls. The other batsmen all contributed by surviving more than 20 deliveries, many from Reed’s previous nemesis, the dangerouus Luke Cherry, who took 4-60 from his 21 overs. Late impetus from Greaves (19) and fittingly, Sean Tidey (28 not out) saw Reed to 193-7 to complete a hard fought victory and with other results going their way, Reed moved up three places to third in the Championship.
(However, Richard will be livid that 6 match balls in addition to Sean’s trophy were lost with some massive maximums, despite neither side reaching 200 runs!)
Match report submitted by Peter Wholley.
