When captain Tom Greaves clipped a ball to leg and scampered through for the two runs required to register the First’s first win of the season, he must have been reflecting contentedly on winning the toss and inserting West Herts on a drying wicket. As a result, a rampant Ed Wharton scythed through their top order, including the scalp of Sri Lankan international, Perrera, caught skilfully at slip by a diving Rob Lankester. That capped a fine opening spell of 3 for 22 in 11 overs. Toby Fynn then carried on the attack with a mammoth 16-over stint, finishing with 2 for 41 and 5 maidens. He was ably supported by Greaves who took 2 for 51, finally bagging the resolute Zaidi for 52, the first of Sean Tidey’s two stumpings. The innings was quickly polished off by Kapil Dave’s spin as he tricked the remaining three batsmen into false strokes, conceding just 25 runs. The pick of these was a finely judged catch on the midwicket boundary by Jack Caine. West Herts must have been disappointed with their total of 155 achieved in the final over of their allotted 50, due to a prolonged rain delay at the start of their innings.
To be frank, Reed always looked in control of their reply with Will Heslam leading the way, making a fluent 37, including 5 crisply struck boundaries. When he was bowled by the dangerous Perrera, Reed already had 70 on the board as Rob Lankester took over the onslaught, putting on another 50 runs with the watchful Matt Sampson (16). With just 18 needed, Lankester was finally adjudged LBW for a scintillating 74. A measure of his dominance can be gauged by his 11 boundaries and 2 maximums – truly a match winning innings. It was then left to Sam Osborne and the skipper to complete the rout, but not before another worrying rain break threatened to eat away at the remaining overs. Fortunately, the weather gods were kind as Reed broke their duck in the league this season with a resounding 7 wicket win, fittingly completed by Greaves, who has had to carry a heavy burden of responsibility in this most demanding of tournaments.
Match report submitted by Peter Wholley.
