Reed IIIs went down to Cheshunt IIs on Saturday after again failing with the bat. On another blissful Saturday afternoon at Freeman, Reed skipper Matt Bowles lost the toss, and his side were asked to field first. Young opening bowlers Alex West and Matt Giblin both bowled with good control early doors, but the experienced Cheshunt batsmen saw off the new ball and begun to push the score towards 50. The introduction of Richard Robertson did bring about a wicket, but Cheshunt rebuilt and a solid partnership of 70 soon followed as they reached 120-1.
William Heslam bowled well and was eventually rewarded with a couple of wickets, and once into the middle order, Robertson began to rip through the visiting batsmen, taking a marvellous 6 wickets in his marathon 18 Over spell. However the solid start made ensured Cheshunt reached 187 before they were eventually all out. The returning Will Heald, playing his first game for Reed since 2007, also snared a couple of wickets.
Despite having a strong looking batting side ‘on paper’ Reed struggled from the outset, losing John Heslam (4) and Will Heald (0) early. William Heslam again looked good, and raced to 27 before he was the first of a number of victims of the sharp work from the visiting keeper, out stumped. Ben Bowles (14) and Scott Caine (9) briefly steadied the ship, but when both fell in consecutive overs, Reed were in dire straights. Skipper Matt Bowles was joined in the middle by Richard Robertson, and the pair looked comfortable in taking Reed out of danger, until Robertson was bowled after edging a ball onto his pads and then onto the stumps. Steve Lovegrove and Alex West then went without troubling the scorers, leaving Bowles with only one partner left, debutant Matt Giblin, with the score on 82-9.
Bowles was in determined mood however, and began to plunder the Chushunt bowlers to all parts, ably assisted by the resolute Giblin who refused to give his wicket away. Bowles soon took the score beyond 100, and then into the batting points. His fifty came up soon after, and with the rate at only 8 an over, the visiting fielders began to look worried. Reed came within 40 runs of the total when Bowles eventually fell LBW trying to work a single at the end of the over for a blistering 67, Giblin left Not Out on 9 as Reed closed on 146 all out, a 10th wicket partnership in excess of 60. Despite the defeat, the 10 wickets Reed took and the vital late runs ensured they went away with 14 points, with Cheshunt gaining the maximum 30. However the second below par score in as many weeks will be of cause for concern for Reed.
