Set 228 to win, Tom Thorpe and Will Heslam set off at the gallop amassing 72 for the first wicket until Heslam skied a catch in the outfield to fall for 31. Skipper Rob Lankester joined Thorpe, but the latter soon departed, bowled by Khalid agonisingly short of another half century for 47. There then followed the partnership which turned the outcome of the match. Charlie Walters made 37 supporting his captain in a stand of 85, only perishing with 46 runs required. Enter Phil Frenay to face the last three overs from mystery spinner Khalid which he negotiated and then attacked the seamers. He scored 29 in even time, ending the game with a boundary and the only maximum of the match. This left Lankester unbeaten on 76, comfortably the top score in the game. It was a chanceless innings scored at pace with 11 boundaries yet perfectly judged in the context of the match.
Although Hitchin’s captain and danger man Chandarana needlessly ran himself out as Will Heslam reacted quickly, at 101-1 the hosts seemed set for a big total. With two frontline bowlers unavailable and Jack Tidey pulling up lame in his second over, Reed’s task seemed insurmountable. However, up stepped Ollie Johnson, back in the side, bowling 10 economical overs and taking three big wickets. When he finished with figures of 3-27, Matt Giblin took over, clean bowling the hard-hitting Hussain and removing the next two batters. He also bowled tidily throughout his spells with figures of 3-41. When the Heslam brothers combined (James keeping to Will) for another wicket, 183-8 seemed well under par on a good batting track, but there was one more twist. For the third game in a row, the final pair to bat put on over 40 runs, setting a competitive total which Reed eventually eased past winning by 7 wickets.
Still top of the league, but the pack are snapping at our heels.