Reed Under 11s completed a fantastic unbeaten league season but suffered an agonisingly close defeat in the Hertfordshire Junior League (HJL) Quarter-Final last Monday evening at Reed to Wheathampstead the eventual Hertfordshire Championship winners at Finals Day on the following Sunday.
The Reed boys were the stand-out team across all of the HJL groups winning every match and by some staggering margins. Like in the first round of 4 matches already reported on this season, the team were dominant and even more so playing some outstanding cricket in the second half of their campaign. The first of the second set of their league matches was likely to be the league decider against a strong Hitchin team (who themselves lost out in a close Quarter-Final encounter this week) and Reed put in probably their performance of the season with some fine bowling and fielding. The Heslam brothers did the damage with the ball with Josh picking up two early wickets and then 9 year-old younger brother Eddie Heslam producing figures of 5 for 17 ripping through the dangerous Hitchin middle order. This was well supported by Henry Cook (2 for 5) and superb fielding, Rory Longland with two excellent catches, E Heslam direct hit run out and a fine stumping by wicket keeper Ethan Fox. Reed put the icing on the cake with J Heslam and Fox knocking off the runs with no wickets down only Heslam retiring at 25 and it was left to Cook to secure the winning runs.
The next game saw a comfortable victory over Datchworth with Reed racking up 158-3 in their 20 overs. Runs for J Heslam (16), Fox (25 retired), Cook (25 retired), E Heslam (24) and Jon Green 16. In reply Reed were never in trouble with Datchworth gradually making their way to 72-8 pick of the bowlers J Heslam (2-0) and leg spinner Zak Rouse (2-8) and a fine run out by Luke Wilson.
The final league game of the season came against Letchworth where with a short boundary and fast outfield Reed racked up a huge 191-2. Batting retirements for many of the Reed batters including J Heslam (28), Fox (25), E Heslam (25) and Liam Nash (26) as well as Green (17) and Longland (16). Letchworth made their way to 97-6 in reply never on terms with the massive Reed score wickets for J Heslam, Oliver Kimsey, Rouse, Matthew Jackson, Wilson, and Green.
It was so disappointing for the boys after such a fantastic league display that the Quarter-Final unfolded the way it did against a strong Wheathampstead side with some real strength in depth. The game begun very well for Reed with Captain Josh Heslam, like in last season’s QF against Bishop’s Stortford, leading from the front with a fantastic innings of 25 (retired) in quick time against a strong Wheathampstead opening attack, defending the good balls and punishing anything loose cleanly to the boundary. He was well supported by Cook (17) who was unlucky to be given run out when also scoring quickly putting the bad ball away very well. Eddie Heslam and Jon Green kept the momentum supporting Liam Nash who was the other stand-out batter for his very well made 17. Unfortunately in the last 5 overs the runs dried up a bit as the Wheathampstead bowling quality subsided very little against the Reed lower order so the game was very much in the balance with Reed making 123-7 in their 20 overs. In reply Reed looked on their way as their bowling and fielding standards from the season continued on restricting the strong Wheathampstead batting line up to 35-4 after 10 overs with a wicket for J Heslam, Kimsey and 2 run outs from captain Josh Heslam. Unfortunately in the second half of the innings some of the Reed bowling and fielding began to fall below its usual high standard and Wheathampstead were able to get back in the game. At 71-5 off 15 Reed were still in a strong position but the visitors sensed hope from the way the last few overs had gone and despite Captain Heslam covering the boundaries well, the visitors drilled this home in the remaining 5 overs running well and punishing some loose deliveries and misfields by the Reed players. It felt at the end like a shock defeat from the jaws of victory for the boys to take but hopefully one they can learn from and work towards the standard they need to be at as a side to potentially go one better next season, as they would have had a good chance at Finals Day I’m sure and a real shame not to have that experience, but sadly that’s cricket sometimes!
And finally a quick note to add how the squad and the boys all missed Charlie Ingrey who had become a key player and opening bowler in the first half of the season, undoubtedly missed in the QF, we look forward to welcoming him back next year from injury.
Summary submitted by James Heslam, RCC U11 Team Manager.
All Divisional League tables and Results can be viewed at www.hertsjuniorleagues.co.uk
