St. Margaretsbury win by 1 wicket It was a David and Goliath fixture, as Herts Division 3 Reed faced full strength and 2nd placed Premier league St. Margaretsbury "the equivalent of an Arsenal v. Cambridge United football clash" in the National Village Cup semi finals on Sunday. However, despite their sporting supremacy, St. Margaretsbury almost left with egg on their faces as they narrowly scraped an embarrassing 1 wicket victory on the final ball of the game, thanks to a nail-biting 24 carat performance by the local lads. Winning the toss, St.Margaretsbury elected to bowl on a damp pitch offering considerable seam movement. Yet the conditions and technically superior bowling failed to faze Baz Curtis (22) and James Heslam (24), whose magnificent timing, seeing Reed to a solid 41 run start. Chris Jackson followed up Curtis' role as he grafted a patient 27 with Richard Jerome (42), and wicket-keeper Stuart Smith, fresh from a useful League knock on Saturday, smashed an imperious 33, including a blistering hooked 4 and 6. Left armed spinner, M.Fisher (8-0-37-4), was clearly the pick of the St. Margaretsbury bowlers. Following a temporary shower, Reed registered a challenging 165 for 8 wickets in their 40 overs. Reed&Mac226;s reply shocked St. Margaretsbury as William Clarke (9-4-16-1) was taken for a mere 15 runs in his opening 7 overs, and Michael Berks' (9-3-40-1) made an early breakthrough by frustrating B.Wallis (5) into playing a rash stroke to mid-on. Despite being smashed for 10 in his first over by N.J.Anstead (21), Peter Tidey (9-0-60-3) came up trumps in conjunction with Smith who took a sharp catch and stumping opportunity to remove their highest run-scorer, T.Quirk (37). Clarke finished off his final two overs at [...]

In a 40 over a side game on Sunday Reed played host to Therfield. Therfield won the toss and elected to bat. They got off to a good start with father and son partnership of Matt and Ken Ayre putting on 108 for the first wicket. However, once Matt was out for 66 wickets fell consistently leaving Reed chasing a target of just 167 to win. The wicket takers for Reed being Heslam and the impressive Tufton with two a piece. In reply Reed never really got going and lost wickets at regular intervals. However at 73-3 and 93-4 they looked well set never requiring more than 4 and a half an over. Eventually though the frequency of wickets falling told with the home side gradually losing momentum to their innings which closed on 120 in the 38th over. Clarke(23) Blissett(26) and M.Robertson(21) all made starts. Chris Ward took 5-28 for Therfield.

Reed traveled to Thorley. After some great bowling from own stalwarts Clive Collins (4 for 22 from 8 overs) and Richard Robertson (2 for 2 off 6 overs) saw Reed bowl the opposition out for 124. Reed Captain Simon Jackson took the game to Thorley with the bat, cracking is 1st half century of the season, before being caught in the deep with Reed nearing their target. However Ed Blissett saw Reed through with a solid 32 and a 5 wicket victory.

The Reed Sunday XI tasted defeat for the first time since late June at the weekend, but skipper Archer gained solace from the fact that major contributions from two Reed starlets were major factors in the defeat. Opponents Thurrock & Thames drafted in Reed first teamers Stuart Smith & James Heslam to bolster their 9 man squad on arrival at The Green. Winning the toss and deciding to bat the visitors made an inauspicious start to their innings losing Clark in the first over to Allsopp (1-48). This early success only brought captain Scott Poskitt to the wicket and he along with Smith proceeded to take apart Reed's openers Allsopp and Roberts, forming a century partnership in rapid time before Archer (3-42) brought himself on to end the party, bowling Poskitt for 54. This brought Heslam to the wicket and not for the first time this season he was undone by poor shot selection attempting a "big" shot against an Archer delivery which he found just a bit too quick. Smith was never in any bother hardly ever playing across the line of the ball he stroked his way to a text book 86, before again he was outdone by the raw speed of Archer. With Clive Collins' cunning flight and guile slowing down the run rate at the Village End, Reed hoped to contain T&T to a "getable" target, but Hathaway had other ideas as he creamed a rapid 48 to see the innings to a close with the score a mammoth 252-6 off the allotted 40 overs. With such a huge target to chase Reed opened with big hitting Roger Bowcock and class act Tom Fulk. Fulk started well but Bowcock's touch deserted [...]

On Sunday Reed II entertained Titanic from Hertford. Batting first Reed reached 193 for 7 in their alloted 40 overs.Opener Peter Baker scored 42 but Marcus Martin top scored with another good knock of 83 not out.Partnered by James Radmore 37 they put on 83 for the 5th wicket. In reply Titanic were 131 all out.Marcus Martin rounded off an excellent aftenoon as he took 2 for 11 in four overs, ran out two players and held a catch. David Johnson took the last 3 wickets finishing with 3 for 9, Paul Watts, Marcus Baker and James Radmore chipped with a wicket each.