Eversholt put Reed into bat and it looked a good decision when
they had the home side 4-2. This soon became 35-3, but James Bradford
and Trevor Saunders started to rebuild. They put on 77 for the 4th
wicket before Trevor Saunders was LBW for a fine 44. Red again looked
in trouble at 120-5 in the 33rd over, but while Bradford was still
their a decent total was on the cards. He was joined by first Simon
Jackson who looked in great nick for his 14, and then Graham Hazard
who hit a hard hitting 21. Bradford was finally dismissed with the
score on 212. He hit 14 4s, and 1 huge six in his 108. It was his
maiden ton for the club and came at a vital time. He was the 7th man
out with 212 on the board. Reed posted the visitors a challenging
total of 224 to win.
Ian Roberts again bowled a superb opening spell. He got a vital
wicket in his first over when Eversholt had just 2 on the board.
Roberts went for 40 in 11 overs and also picked up a second wicket.
Reed welcomed back Richard Robertson to the opening attack and he
bowled Hall for 18 just as he was beginning to look dangerous.
Eversholt looked to be pacing themselves well, needing 120 in 20
overs and with a quick outfield it looked on. Peter Costen entered
the attack and he took the vital wicket of Garratt for 72. Eversholt
were now 113-4. The game turned with the introduction of Mark Peart.
Suddenly the visitors were finding it hard to get the ball away and
Reed managed to add pressure with some excellent ground fielding.
This contributed to some panic in Eversholt’s ranks and to two run
outs. Peart was bowling very tightly and managed to remove both
Garratt and Gould just as they got into the thirties and were taking
the game away from Reed. A superb low catch from Simon Jackson topped
a great display in the field. With 7 ball left of the innings Peart
caught and bowled Pougher for 8 and Reed had won by 13 runs and
recorded their first league win of the season. This was Eversholt’s
first defeat in any form of cricket this season. Peart finished with
figures of 4-39 from 10 overs.
