National Village Cup final agony at Lord’s for Woodhouse Grange (From York Press)

National Village Cup final agony at Lord’s for Woodhouse Grange

10:01am Monday 10th September 2012 in Sport By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

WOODHOUSE Grange Cricket Club’s dreams of a treble were ended by Reed in the final of the Yorkshire Tea National Village Cup at Lord’s.

The Sutton-on-Derwent side, who clinched the Hunters York & District Senior League premier division title on Saturday to add to their League Cup success, went down by six wickets to the Hertfordshire side at the home of cricket.

Man of the match Tom Greaves did much of the damage, taking 2-22 from his nine overs before slashing a swashbuckling 51 to take the game away from Woodhouse captain Steve Burdett and his side.

Having slumped from 56-0 to 87-5, Grange were indebted to Tom Young, whose 42 from the middle order helped them to set Reed a target of 185 to win.

It wasn’t enough, Reed picking off the runs with a couple of their 40 overs remaining to win the trophy on their first appearance at Lord’s.

Reed put Woodhouse into bat after winning the toss and, at first, the risky move looked to have backfired as the East Yorkshire side raced to 52 in the opening ten overs.

Nick Hadfield fired two boundaries in the third over, the second a cracking cover drive, as Grange profited from some wayward Reed bowling.

Opening partner Mike Hattee looked nervous in comparison with the experienced Hadfield but, eventually finding his feet, the pair notched their 50 partnership from 69 balls.

With their supporters in the stands dreaming of a big score, Grange suddenly found themselves mired.

Hattee went first, taken behind by Shaun Tidey off Lee Johnson for 19, but it was an inspired bowling change by Reed skipper James Heslam that really made the difference.

Tom Greaves removed Chris Bilton with his first ball – the batsman going after a full toss and only flicking it to Chris Jackson at first slip.

For a man who had averaged 69 in the competition until the final, removing him for four runs was a huge boost to Reed.

Mike Burdett departed soon after as Mitchell Cooper trapped him lbw for just a single and, as he and Greaves clamped down on Woodhouse’s scoring, Andrew Bilton (9) was also quickly back in the pavilion – caught behind by Tidey.

When Hadfield went for 29 and Steve Burdett followed for 11 after a couple of big slogs – both Cooper lbw victims – Grange were 109-6 and in big trouble. But Young (42) and Chris Suddaby (32) put together an important 43 partnership, the former impressing as the total moved towards respectability.

Young departed going after one big hit too many but Grange’s total of 184 was much better than had looked likely half way through the innings.

Replying, opening bowler Tom Quinn found James Heslam’s edge with his first ball but it just dropped agonisingly short of first slip.

The Hertfordshire skipper was then put down at point but, just as he was starting to run wild on his way to a quick-fire 28, the impressive Quinn got his man – reaching up sharply to take an uppish drive off his own bowling.

Reed’s 50 came up off 68 balls and, while Grange had lost key wickets as their innings moved into the second quarter, their opponents were able to tick the score along as Greaves dug in with Will Heslam.

Greaves was soon hitting lusty blows. Woodhouse had hope when Heslam (17) holed out to Chris Suddaby off Hadfield, but Greaves continued to blast shots to all parts.

His 51 came off 49 balls with seven fours and, even though Andrew Horner dispatched him, the damage had been done. Stuart Smith (22no), along with Jackson (37), merely had to steer Reed home.