After last week's euphoria on staying up, the final match of the season was rather anticlimactic. The visitors, Shenley Village, had to win to ensure a place in the play-off for promotion, so they had the motivation to play well. As indeed they did triumphing by 8 wickets. Reed started very well, the partnership of 60 between Will Heslam (23) and Kallum Ward (30) was only bettered twice in the league, but when all ten wickets fell for another 66 runs, it turned out to be the second lowest total this season. The rest of the strong batting side all registered single figures, except for the ever reliable Rob Lankester who batted throughout the carnage for an undefeated 31. This gave him almost 500 runs this year at an average of 41 and it would surely have been many more without the month he missed with a broken thumb. All the Shenley bowlers gave a good account of themselves, although Fakim Akbar (5-29) proved particularly difficult to read. Northants' Charles Thurston set about the reply with gusto, his 54 containing 10 boundaries. Even Reed's two most successful bowlers: Toby Fynn (34 wickets) and Tom Greaves (35) couldn't contain him as Shenley scored 130 for 2 in just 25 overs. Toby would like it reported that his average was marginally below 20, whereas Tom's was marginally above! Overall Reed's supporters can be relieved that the team found some good form in the latter stages of the season, finishing halfway down the league in sixth place. With a fit again Jack Tidey next year, who knows what can be achieved? Match Report submitted by Peter Wholley.