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Elmdon won the toss and on a pitch that had been enlivened by recent rain, put Reed into bat. Stuart Smith and Ed Blissett opened the batting for Reed. Smith was soon into his stride playing some powerful drives whilst Blissett accumulated at the other end. The openers reached their 50 partnership in the 9th over after which Smith accelerated strongly.

He rapidly achieved his 50 with some lusty blows and continued to hit the ball hard as the score mounted rapidly. Blissett at the other end was now manoeuvring the ball smoothly into gaps, as the openers posted their 100 partnership in the 16th over. Smith eventually fell, stumped off Starr for 95, whilst looking to hit yet another boundary. Greaves now joined Blissett and was soon a series of fine shots. Blissett completed his 50, at which point he retired hurt with a reoccurrence of a troublesome shin splint injury.

Fergus Martin now joined Greaves and ably supported him, in building the Reed total. Greaves quickly passed his fifty and was now driving and sweeping to great effect. As the innings reached its last over Greaves needed only 3 more runs to complete his century. It looked as though he would be denied this opportunity as Martin was in strike and hit two fours, off the 2nd and 3rd balls of the over. Eventually though Greaves got to the strikers end and with a ball to spare completed his 100.

The innings closed with Reed making an impressive 286 for 1.

Cooper and Haslam opened the bowling after tea. Both bowlers troubled the Elmdon openers, but it was Haslam who struck, removing the opener B. Morgan, clean bowled. Another wicket quickly followed thanks to a sharp catch by Tim Tidey of Haslam. Elmdon then rallied with the father and son combination of Melvin and James Reeves playing some good shots as they added 62.

Jack Tidey then produced a good ball to clean bowl James Reeves and his father Melvin soon followed, caught by Greaves of the bowling of Chris Peckett. The rest of the Elmdon innings then quickly subsided with Jack Tidey and Fergus Martin taking a wicket apiece. Elmdon were eventually all out for 96 when young Josh Conley, in his first game for the Sunday 1sts, dismissed Elmdon’s last two batsmen with consecutive balls.

At the close of the Elmdon innings the Reed players, in a poignant gesture, formed a guard of honour for the Reed Sunday first eleven Captain, Ed Blissett. This was Blissett’s final game, as he is retiring from cricket, owing to persistent injuries, after 33 years playing senior club cricket.