Reed outshine Mistley in last 16 of Yorkshire Tea National Village Cup

National Village Cup last 16

Reed 200-8 (40 overs)

Mistley 117 (34)

Reed won by 83 runs

REED booked their place in the last eight of the Yorkshire Tea National Village Cup with a resounding victory over Essex & Suffolk champions Mistley on Sunday.

They are now just two wins away from having the honour of playing at Lord’s for the final, and but they will first play away to East Sussex champions Plumpton & East Chiltington on Sunday, July 29.

With over half their team comprising three pairs of brothers and 10 out of their 11 players being ex-juniors from the club’s long-established and hugely successful Colts Cricketing Academy, Reed produced a superb all-round performance to seal their place in the quarter final.

That the match took place at all after the horrendous rain of the last seven days was a miracle and testament to the hard work of the club members, ground staff and the �16,000 drainage facility that was installed two years ago.

Mistley brought a sizeable crowd with them, and when winning what seemed a vital toss, had no hesitation in asking Reed to bat. The decision immediately paid off when Reed skipper and top-ranked batsman James Heslam succumbed caught at gully off a brute of a ball off the last delivery of the first over.

His fellow opener, brother Will, watching from the non-striker’s end took up the challenge and in company with Tom Greaves (16) took the score to 47 before Greaves fell caught on the boundary. Chris Jackson (9) and Heslam moved the score to 74 before Jackson was caught at long-on.

Seventeen-year-old Will Heslam batted with a skill and maturity belying his years and moved to his 50 with a huge six over mid-wicket. Stuart Smith (12) seemed set for another vital Village Cup contribution but fell caught and bowled with the score on 100-4 while Will Heslam and Mitchell Cooper reached 116 before the former perished on the boundary for 55.

116-5 became 123-7 and then 138-8 as Cooper, Karl Ward and Sean Tidey all went for 13, 0 and 12 respectively. At 138-8 in the 33rd of the 40 overs Reed seemed on the verge of a low total and the visitors Mistley were firmly in the driving seat. But Jack Tidey and Kallum Ward, brothers of the previously dismissed Sean and Karl, had other ideas.

In seven overs of rampant aggression the pair added 62 runs and took Reed to a 40-over total of 200-8 – a tremendous achievement given the slow-paced wicket and slow rain affected outfield.

Jack Tidey’s 36* in 41 balls included four huge sixes while Kallum Ward’s 25* included two equally huge maximums. The late Reed surge seemed to totally subdue and demoralise Mistley and, in the prevailing conditions, chasing 201 to win in 40 overs seemed a daunting task.

Griggs and Allday started Mistley’s reply in front of a large crowd that had grown to around 300, and in bright sunshine. The pair got off to a steady start despite excellent and threatening opening spells from Lee Johnson and Jack Tidey. Griggs however fell lbw to Tidey for nine with the score at 31 but Allday in particular looked threatening.

However, Jack Tidey changed the course of the Mistley innings bowling Allday for 20 and the very next ball dismissing Goff for a duck. At 39-3 Mistley were in deep trouble and they never truly recovered.

Magnificent Reed fielding and tight bowling saw them take a grip on the game that they never relinquished. Lee Johnson bowled out his nine overs taking 1-41 and Jack Tidey also bowled out his nine overs producing a magnificent 3-29. Tom Greaves and Kallum Ward took over the mantle and the Mistley innings fared no better.

The slow pitch provided ample turn for Greaves who returned 4-27 in eight overs and Ward a miserly 0-14 in five overs. Two fine catches by Stuart Smith, and another by Will Heslam, backed up the bowlers and sharp fielding again by Will Heslam induced an efficiently-taken run out.

A mini recovery involving Matt Bibby (17) and Damian Smith (23) saw Mistley reach 102-8 but that was as good as it got and with Reed well in command, and the match firmly under their control, Mistley slumped to 117 all out in the 34th over.

A hugely impressive display from Reed who moved into the last eight of this competition for only the second time in the clubs history and the first time since 1988 when the Heslam brothers’ father John was Reed club captain, and the Tidey brothers’ father Tim was wicketkeeper.