Hurricane Jim Allsopp Blows Away Windies Reed II’s continued their relentless march toward the Division 8 title on Saurday with a 55 run defeat of closest rivals St Albans West Indians.

A weakened Reed side missing skipper John Heslam and four other regulars lost the toss and were asked to bat in Caribean like conditions in North Herts. Reed got off to an inauspicious start with high scoring opener Ian Fulk caught behind in the second over of the day for a duck. He was quickly followed back to the pavillion by fellow opener Baker (15) and Ward (5) to leave the home side reeling on 30-3.

A period of consoldation was required and captain for the day Bridge (21) and left hander Shorrock (20) edged Reed up to 61 off 26 overs before a mistimed cover drive saw the former joining the rest of the top order back in the hutch.

The visitors started to turn the screw and another mini collapse followed with Reed crawling to 81-6. The order of the day was to bat out the remaining overs and edge towards the first batting points still some 60 runs off. Emms and Reed colt “Marvellous” Marcus Martin followed the instructions to the letter both playing patient innings and both dispatching the bad balls to the boundary.

Emms eventually fell to a snorter of a delivery on seventeen, but that only inspired youngster Martin who frustrated the bowlers and built an eventual match winning innings of 40 not out. Farming the strike like a player many years his senior he, along with Reeds wagging tail pushed the score along to a credible 165 all out in 51 overs. Daya and Stapleton proving the pick of the SAWI bowling with 3 wickets apiece

St Albans started like a train scoring freely with a run rate of 10 an over, while Reeds opening pacemen Allsopp and Emms struggled to find their line in the first few overs, there was no indication of what was to follow . It was time for the Jim Allsopp show. The 19 year old continued his recent run of top form by destroying the St Albans all conquering batsmen. In a devastating spell of 7 overs 2 maidens 6 for 27, he ripped the heart out of a batting line up which until Saturday had chased virtually any target that had been presented to them. With Andrew Emms (2-56) getting on message and bowling another good spell with little luck and home reared swing bowler Graham Wilson (2-20) polishing off the last two West Indian batsmen with the score on 111.

Reed grabbed a deserved victory which has now moved them fifty points clear at the top of Division 8. Vice captain Ben Bowles said after the game ” It was a great win, our innings was a real roller coaster ride. The performance of our youngsters coming in for the game, shows the true depth of high quality cricketers we have at all levels throughout the club and Jim’s performance following on from his destruction of Royston in the Keatley cup will have a few of the first team bowlers looking anxiously over their shoulders.