Sarisbury Athletic’s Village Cup semi-final conquerors, Hertfordshire League club Reed carried off the trophy for a third time at Lord’s on Sunday – but their celebrations were dampened by a serious eye injury sustained by Houghton Main opening batsman Ian Simon.
Simon was not wearing a helmet when he hooked a short ball into his eye. He was rushed to hospital for tests, and underwent an operation to drain blood from the area. He had broken his cheekbone in several places. Fortunately, he remained conscious, and was asking for updates on the score from hospital.
With their opening batsman retiring hurt, Houghton Main managed just 160-8, and the team from the former colliery near Barnsley were unable to defend the modest target on a pacey Lord’s pitch on a warm September day, losing by seven wickets, with Reed skipper Tom Greaves hitting 67 not out and left-hander Rob Lankester 59.
Reed, fresh from clinching promotion to the Saracens Hertfordshire Premier League in 2020, join Troon and St Fagan’s in lifting the Village Cup three times, having done so in 2012 and 2017. Only Woodhouse Grange (four) have won it more times than the Hertfordshire club.
The match took a worrying turn in the 13th over when a short of a length delivery which rose unexpectedly and Simon deflected it into his eye. Medical staff, along with Houghton Main’s No.4 batsman and neurosurgeon Dr Yousaf Rehman (who had just been dismissed) rushed onto the pitch to attend to Simon. There was a 20-minute break in play while he was stretchered off and taken to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, accompanied by his family. He was set to remain in hospital for at least five days.
* The ECB’s Royal London national club championship final between Nantwich and Swardeston is at Lord’s on Monday, noon.
Simon was not wearing a helmet when he hooked a short ball into his eye. He was rushed to hospital for tests, and underwent an operation to drain blood from the area. He had broken his cheekbone in several places. Fortunately, he remained conscious, and was asking for updates on the score from hospital.
With their opening batsman retiring hurt, Houghton Main managed just 160-8, and the team from the former colliery near Barnsley were unable to defend the modest target on a pacey Lord’s pitch on a warm September day, losing by seven wickets, with Reed skipper Tom Greaves hitting 67 not out and left-hander Rob Lankester 59.
Reed, fresh from clinching promotion to the Saracens Hertfordshire Premier League in 2020, join Troon and St Fagan’s in lifting the Village Cup three times, having done so in 2012 and 2017. Only Woodhouse Grange (four) have won it more times than the Hertfordshire club.
The match took a worrying turn in the 13th over when a short of a length delivery which rose unexpectedly and Simon deflected it into his eye. Medical staff, along with Houghton Main’s No.4 batsman and neurosurgeon Dr Yousaf Rehman (who had just been dismissed) rushed onto the pitch to attend to Simon. There was a 20-minute break in play while he was stretchered off and taken to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, accompanied by his family. He was set to remain in hospital for at least five days.
* The ECB’s Royal London national club championship final between Nantwich and Swardeston is at Lord’s on Monday, noon.
