At last, the First XI secured a win…. but just by 3 runs!
Dunstable Town have proved to be a bogey team for Reed, but they were given a boost when the main architect of Reed’s defeats, Luke Cherry, pulled out at the last minute. Nevertheless Reed’s innings could hardly have started more disastrously with both openers in the hutch within 10 balls. Max Sanderson and Rob Lankester rescued them, however, both striking 45, scoring 9 boundaries and 3 maximums between them. They were ably supported by Jack Caine (17) and Sam Osborne (15). Yet, when the latter was out on the stroke of lunch, 139-4 became 159 all out as Dunstable’s spinners cruised through the lower order.
This seemed well below par as Dunstable calmly moved to 70-1. It was then that Osborne struck, brilliantly picking up and throwing down the wicket of the express paced Sam Cherry. Two more wickets fell at the same score, including Australian Deon Billington bowled by Jack Tidey for a golden duck. Tidey once again tied down one end, bowling 16 overs on the spin finishing with 2 for 43. Another partnership took the visitors beyond 100 until Julien Fynn played a match winning performance, taking 4 for 35 as Dunstable lost their last four wickets for 11 runs. When the ninth wicket fell 9 were required and 5 tense overs ensued as they inched towards victory. A dropped slip catch seemed to signal another defeat for Reed but finally Tidey swooped to catch Jack Kilduff (39) before he could rain on Reed’s party.
This win gives Reed a morale boost as they top 100 points for the season and start to eye up the teams just above them in the league.
Match Report submitted by Peter Wholley.
