Reed 2s got their first win of the season on Saturday away to Luton Town & Indians 2s in what proved to be a high scoring affair.
Reed skipper Matt Bowles lost his third connective toss and his side were asked to bat on what looked a hard surface. Eddy Garrott, playing his first game of the season, opened up with Stuart Smith as Reed began well. Garrott (38) looked particularly fluent as Reed raced to 50. However Garrott was well caught in slip and this was then followed 3 balls later by Rhdori Hughes (0) as Reed found themselves 57-2.
Jack Caine then joined Smith (19) at the crease and immediately took control of the innings. Caine looked in fine form as he helped move the score serenely towards 3 figures, when Smith fell out of nowhere, to a catch at mid wicket - 94-3.
James Heslam then strode out to partner Caine and what followed over the course of the next couple of hours was an expert display of batting. Heslam soon got into his stride and along with Caine played shots all around the park. Both batters looked imperious as they passed their half centuries and then began to put their foot on the gas. Caine did not give a single chance as he got himself to a well deserved century, finishing 114 not out off of 129 balls, whereas Heslam finished on 83 not out from just 79 balls. This proved to be a joint record Reed 2nd XI 4th wicket partnership of 177. Reed finishing on a whopping 271-3 in their allotted 50 overs.
In a personal milestone, James Heslam also passed 15,000 runs for the club.
However, if anyone thought the game was over they would be proved wrong, though not before Owen Hughes (10-1-3-46) had given Reed the perfect start. Hughes miserly opening spell of 7 overs put the hosts immediately on the back foot as he took 3 wickets leaving them 40-3.
In a mirror image to the Reed innings however, the 4th wicket partnership for Luton proved to be a big one. H Ali and Mohammed took the score to 176-4 and right in contention for victory as Reed struggled to make a breakthrough. But skipper Bowles (10-0-39-1) then brought himself back into the attack and got the crucial wicket of Ali (70).
Mohammed continued on, well supported by A Ali, as Luton passed 200 and got the score to 209, needing a further 62 in the last 9 overs in what looked a an increasingly likely home win. Reed turned once again to young Josh Heslam who’s death bowling skills have been so impressive in recent weeks and he once again delivered. Heslam (9-0-40-3) picked up 3 Luton wickets, including that of Mohammed for 72. Matt Yates (7-0-56-2) also held his nerve well at the death and finished the innings off as Reed held on to clinch a very narrow victory, Luton finishing just 4 runs short on 267-9 (50 overs).
Reed’s win was aided massively by some impressing catching from Garrott, Caine, James Heslam and Rhodri Hughes.