Reed Fourth XI clocked-up a much needed victory against second-placed Flitwick and moved 2 spots up the table as a result. Played at the free-scoring Freman College venue, Flitwick set-off well and all of the first four batsmen scored decent runs, Dales reaching 69. James Hooper, (2 for 49), bowled with pace and earned two wickets on his returning spell. Unfortunately, fellow opener, Will Kirby, suffered a leg injury which necessitated a visit to A & E after conceding only 3 runs from his shortened 4 over spell.
However, veteran bowlers Richard Robertson, (2 for 27 from 12 overs) and Ian Roberts, (0 for 37 from 11), took over and kept the brake on the visitors. Reece Fitzgerald chipped-in with 1 for 23 and Nick Green probably saved approximately 25 runs by his athletic fielding. Confident that they had a sufficient total, the Flitwick skipper declared on 220 for 5 thus giving Reed 44 overs to bat.
An opening stand of 72 between Peter Baker and Paul Garrott, (14), was racked-up in just 10 overs after which the strongly-built James Hooper arrived for his first outing of the year for the Fourths. Presenting a broad bat to the pace bowling, Hooper raced to 38 in a stand of 93 with Baker in the following 17 overs.
Alan Ward replaced Hooper and carried-on in his run-stealing fashion with some quickly taken singles interspersed with 7 boundaries. Baker finally fell for 76 including 13 fours and it remained only for Rob Willoughby to accompany Ward, who was undefeated on 41, to the finishing line and a well-deserved 30 points with more than 8 overs unused and 7 wickets in hand.
