Reed overcame local rivals Baldock in comprehensive fashion in Sundays North Herts League Division 1 game at Avenue Park.
On a gloriously hot afternoon, Reed captain Marcus Martin won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that turned out to be a good one as Reed’s batsmen made the Baldock bowling attack toil all afternoon in the hot temperatures. Opening up with Ed Blissett and William Dobson, Reed’s start stuttered as Dobson top edged Mackey’s full toss deep cover in only the second Over to earn himself a duck. However Steve Lovegrove joined the evergreen Blissett in the middle, and the pair set about steadying the Reed ship. Both batsmen played the conditions perfectly, as they took time to get settled at the crease before accelerating the scoring around the 12 Over mark. Lovegrove was aggressive in his punishment of the bad balls, and Blissett played with his usual air of calmness as the score advanced to 88-1 at the 20 Over mark. Blissett survived a controversial caught behind appeal before joining Lovegrove in the pursuit of boundaries. Indeed, there was only 4 balls separating each batsman making their half centuries as Lovegrove (69) and then Blissett (62) took Reed well into 3 figures for the 2nd wicket, which arrived when Bracken found Lovegrove’s off stump. Blissett soon followed, stumped off of the off spin of Diplock.
Reed found themselves 152-3 with 14 Overs remaining as the sprightly new pair of Phil Frenay and Matt Bowles came to the middle. Frenay was first to find his feet, soon plundering the Baldock attack to the boundary, soon followed by Bowles. A mixture of good running and plenty of well placed boundary shots allowed the pair to increase Reed’s run rate and take the visitors to 208 before Frenay (31) was caught off of the bowling of Bracken. Undeterred, Bowles continued his dissecting of the Baldock bowlers, ably supported by some lusty late blows from skipper Marcus Martin (26 Not Out). Bowles finished the Reed 40 Overs with a big straight six to take his personal tally to 58 (Not Out). Reed ending up on an impressive 278-4 from their allotted Overs.
Baldock’s reply got off to the worse possible start as the pacey Richard Johnson ripped into the hosts top order, removing the first 4 batsmen with the score yet to reach 35. His opening partner Rupert Martin (8-5-11-0) assisting him by bowling a tight line at the other end, and also by taking a brilliant catch in the deep. Johnson finished his 8 Overs with impressive figures of (8-2-26-4). It was then the turn of first change bowlers Jason Pallett (5-023-2) and the returning Michael Robertson (5.4-0-19-4) to get in on the act. Robertson, back after a lengthy 2 month lay off with a broken collar bone, ripped through the Baldock middle and lower order with his lively seem bowling. Pallett’s off spin also proved to cunning for Baldock as he snared two late wicket too to leave Baldock all out for 82 in 25.4 Overs. Reed winning by a mammoth 196 runs.
Captain Marcus Martin commented “I’m very pleased with the team effort today. We batted well in the heat and then bowled and fielded brilliantly too. It was a really impressive display by all involved”.
