Playing away to an inform Berkhamstead II’s side this weekend Reed took potentially their strongest side of the season to date. Berkhamstead won the toss and elected to field and it soon became clear why as the two opening bowlers set about making scoring difficult on a track that had life and bounce.
Richard Barlow and Peter Baker opened with the former surviving a loud caught behind appeal early in the innings before Baker was caught at short midwicket for 4.
A procession of batsmen departed courtesy of some poor umpiring and good bowling from Smith. Marcus Martin (4) hit a glorious cover drive to mark his return to cricket but was then given out LBW on a ball everyone bar the umpire and bowler felt he had hit! Ben Bowles (3) played on and Steve Lovegrove (4) was cleaned bowled. At 44 for 4 things did not look good but up stepped George Garrott who together with Barlow began a rescue bid. Barlow went for 25, Maseeh Naeem for 4, Jack Childs for 2 and Rhys Fitzgerald for 0 as the score reached 69 for 8. Garrott and Lewis Fitzgerald (7*) then battled to get the score to 93 for 9 as Garrott finally fell for a valiant 20. Jack Caine was the last to go for 8 but not before he had played the shot of the day – a lofted drive back over the bowler’s head for 4. Reed finishing 104 all out.
Needing points Reed began well with Garrott (4.1.13.0) and Lewis Fitzgerald (7.1.12.1) making the batsman work for the runs but it was Jack Caine who took the first wicket courtesy of one of Richard Barlow’s three catches of the day. Jack Child’s (2.0.16.1) claimed the next wicket from a Maseeh Naeem catch before Child’s held on to a crisp chance off L. Fitzgerlad. Marcus Martin (6.2.8.3) was introduced and Reed began to feel more confident as he dismissed two batsman cheaply. However Brown and Smith steered Berkhamstead to within the grasp of victory before Smith tried a Dilshan scoop off Martin to a stright ball needing only 2 runs to win. Berkhamstead finished 105 for 7.
