Barr stunned by Reading CC title collapse

Published 10 Sep 2010 13:30 0 Comments

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READING’S skipper David Barr struggled to hide his emotions after his side’s promotion dreams were cruelly extinguished on the very last day.

Reading led Home Counties League Division Two West by 10 points from Falkland going into the last weekend of fixtures.

But they blew it right at the death as Falkland came from behind to pip them to promotion back to Division One.

While Falkland secured a comfortable six-wicket home victory against Slough, Reading suffered an agonising 19-run defeat at Harefield when they were skittled for a disastrous 84 chasing a mere 104 to win and secure promotion.

It was a major blow for the club on a bittersweet day for Barr, who missed the game to be at the birth of his daughter, Gemma.

“I didn’t play because my wife was having a baby and I couldn’t quite believe it when I discovered we’d lost well before tea,” lamented Barr.

“We were under no pressure from the scoreboard but when wickets fall tension builds. I can’t stop thinking it was a great opportunity to back into Division One.

“Disappointed doesn’t cover it. To be so close then to mess it up like that is heartbreaking.”

Few could have expected Reading to lose the match having rooted out Harefield for a mere 104.

Luke Beaven (4-21), Ian Slatcher (3-22), Jamie Hoddle (2-22) and Jack Beaven (1-29) took the wickets, while Jack Shiel hit Harefield’s top score of 31.

At that stage, the title looked like Reading’s, but it was clear their batsmen were wracked with nerves.

Shelvin Gumbs was the only top-order player who put up a resistance with 35 from 34 balls.

But wickets tumbled around him as Hoddle, Nick Colley, Simon Steele, Sukhi Kang and Nathan Stothard all went cheaply.

In fact, Reading lost Kang, Stothard and Gumbs without a run being scored as they clumped from 49-3 to 49-6.

And, the best efforts of Luke Beaven (19no) and brother, Jack (10), the visitors collapsed to 84 all out in the 27th over to hand the title to Falkland.

Barr fumed: “Disappointed doesn’t cover it. We lacked application and patience. We needed 104 from 70 overs to win the title and we blew it.

“Credit to Falkland who are a great bunch of lads and I wish them the best of luck in Division One.

“But it is still a bit raw for me at the moment. It will take us a while to recover.”

And he also added: “We should have beaten Falkland the previous week when we fell 10 runs short chasing 150. A win there would have got us promoted.

“Perhaps I should have taken a few more chances to win the game myself, by it is easy to say that with hindsight.

“To lose the title in this was is really disheartening, it feels like the club has been let down.”

However, Barr also suggested: “Maybe if we couldn’t finish off the two chances we had to finish it off then we might have struggled in Division One.

“We’re a young side and we need time to improve and build again for next season.

“I believe we will have a strong side again next season, but my worry is we will never have a better chance than this year.”

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