Reed II’s put in a solid batting and bowling display away at Flitwick II’s on Saturday, but couldn’t quite come away with maximum points, with the home side blocking out for a draw in the hot sun.
Winning the toss, captain Jason Archer made the easy decision to bat first and sent in openers James Bell and Matt Bowles. The pair got Reed off to a fairly rapid start, with Bell looking strong on the offside. However bell was to fall victim of a ball that kept low, and was bowled for 14. This brought Mark King to the middle, and he too found early boundaries as Reed looked to set a big total. Bowles plundered an almighty pull shot to the mid wicket boundary as Reed reached 38-1 in just 7 Overs. However, Bowles was soon to follow Bell back to the pavilion as he was trapped LBW by Nicklin for 13 (5-1-12-2). In recent years, Reed II’s have regularly been able to call upon Ian Fulk in times of trouble, and yet again the number 4 batsman didn’t let his side down. Together with King, Fulk took the Reed score towards three figures. King then fell for 24 whilst trying a pull shot, bringing Richard Johnson to the crease.
Johnson and Fulk took the game to the Flitwick attack, and both looked in fine form as they mixed good running with some well timed boundary shots. Johnson was timing the ball immaculately, and looked set for a big score as Reed reached 106-3. The introduction of leg spinner Thurstance (15-3-78-3) proved to be a turning point for Flitwick though, as first he held on to a sharp caught and bowled chance to remove Johnson for 32, and then Chris Shorrock was run out in his over for just 5, leaving Reed in a bit of trouble on 130-5. Fulk remained however, ad he batted well with new partner Ed Garrott (14) to steady the ship. When Garrott was also victim of Thurstance, Karl Ward (24) joined Fulk. Fulk batted superbly, but was eventually undone whilst agonisingly close to a half century, on 46. Ward and Jim Allsopp then took up the mantle of increasing Reed’s total to over the 200 mark. Neither were hanging around, and some mighty boundary shots followed. Ward eventually departing after middling a pull shot straight to a fielder on the boundary.
Jim Allsopp was not to be outdone however, and continued to put the Flitwick bowling to the sword. Two massive 6’s and a number of hard hit 4’s took Reed comfortably into the 200’s and Allsopp’s personal total to 45 Not Out. Reed finishing their allotted 53 Overs on 239-8.
Flitwick’s reply got off to a flyer, as openers Nicklin and Sonnerfield found the boundaries to take Flitwick to 60-0. However, Nicklin went for one shot too many, and was caught well at extra cover by Karl Ward off of the bowling of Johnson for 40. Johnson then grew in confidence, and began to rip into the Flitwick top order, whilst Wilson contained them brilliantly at the other end. Johnson eventually taking 2-63 in his 11 Overs. Captain Archer and spinner Ed Garrott then joined the wicket taking party, with both snaring a pair in good spells, leaving the home side reeling on 150-6 with Overs to come running out. Reed still needed 4 wickets for the win however, and responsibility for this was given to Karl Ward. Ward took little time to get on with his job, and took 2 wickets in his first 3 Overs, to leave the home side in desperate trouble. Never-the-less, with Sonnerfield remaining unbeaten on 84 and his young partner blocking out admirably, Reed were unable to get the last 2 wickets needed to secure them 30 points and had to settle for 18. Flitwick finishing their 47 Overs on 180-8, despite the best efforts of part time bowler Fulk (1-012-0) at the end.
Captain Archer was philosophical “I am obviously a bit disappointed not to get the win, as I felt we deserved it. However, I cannot complain about the effort put in to both batting and bowling. Ian Fulk, Richard Johnson and Jim Allsopp were all superb with the bat, and I felt all the bowlers, Fulk aside, did well too”.
