On a good batting track, Jack Tidey (1-32) and Julien Fynn (2-32) tied up the home side’s top order as they constantly played and missed, leaving them 61-3 after 20 overs. After frustratingly being close, Tidey at last had leading scorer, Sol Tomlinson, caught by his diving brother Sean. Ollie Johnson and Rob Lankester then helped themselves to a wicket apiece as Tidey completed a hat-trick of victims. Needing a fifth bowler, Lankester had Tidey exchange his pads with Kallum Ward and took a couple of wickets, including a stumping by Ward! Will Heslam completed the job by bowling the dogged David Littlejohn for 37 and the aggressive Sulimann Manzoor for 17 just as the batsmen looked to be taking control. He finished with the impressive figures of 3-7.
183 seemed well below par on such a good wicket, an impression confirmed as Tom Thorpe and Heslam (39) raced to 77-1. However, as the heat increased and the noise from the Arsenal match intensified the batters capitulated to poor shot selection with Littlejohn (3-35) and Charlie Manhanama (2-56) cashing in. Even the dependable Thorpe was trapped LBW having completed his first half century for the club. This left Reed 53 runs adrift with only 4 wickets left. Fortunately, the steady Matt Sampson (17*) and the belligerent Sean Tidey (28) rescued the team with Tidey ruining Littlejohn’s figures taking 21 from his final over, although the bowler did clean him up as he went for glory to win the game. In the end it was a relief to win by 3 wickets in a match that could have been won more easily.
The league table has now divided in two with Reed, having beaten Hitchin last week, now facing the other three clubs in the top half in consecutive weekends.