Reed dig deep to beat Knebworth Park

Will Heslam bats for Reed (Image: Archant)

Put in to bat on a damp wicket Reed got off to a reasonable start with Will Heslam and Sam Fairbrother registering 37 before Fairbrother fell caught for 20.

Mitchell Cooper bats for Reed (Image: Archant)

That signaled the start of a Reed slump to 62-5.

The in-form Will Heslam compiled 38, but he fell caught and the Reed innings stood at 86-7. Sean Tidey rattled up a quick 23 but when he holed out at 113-8 an early defeat loomed.

However, Reed skipper James Heslam, who normally opens the Reed innings but is carrying a wrist injury walked out at No 10 to rescue the situation. Together with Jack Tidey he helped take the score to 134 before Tidey fell for 17.

With last pair, Heslam and Toby Fynn, at the crease Heslam crafted a superb innings.

Fynn contributed with an unbeaten 14, but Heslam took charge and as the Reed innings drew towards its final overs he accelerated the scoring with a series of hard struck boundaries.

Heslam pummeled seven fours and a six in an undefeated 51 as Reed closed their innings at a respectable 191-9 from their allocated overs.

In reply Park, who felt they had let a winning opportunity slip, were put deeper into their misery by a magnificent spell of opening bowling by Jack Tidey and Fynn.

Knebworth slumped to 22-5 after 12 overs. Number 3 Patel led a fightback, but wickets continued to fall at the other end as Fynn (3-33) and Tidey (5-42) destroyed the hosts’ hopes of challenging Reed’s total.

Sean Tidey, behind the stumps, registered four catches in the innings and when Patel fell ninth out for 44 the end was nigh.

Alex Mutucumara and Kallum Ward each chipped in with a wicket apiece and Fynn had the honour of taking the final scalp, but it was Jack Tidey with his fivefer who had starred with the ball.

Park finished 103 all out after 38 overs to give Reed a win by 88 runs.