Reed’s hangover from their National Village Cup exit continued as they lost to Knebworth Park in their Saracens League Division 1 match on Saturday.
Electing to bat first Knebworth Park were restricted somewhat in their scoring by tight bowling from Andy Young (3 for 41) and Lee Johnson (1 for 24). Young accounted for three of the first four wickets to fall. At 59 for 4 Reed were well on top. An unfinished partnership between Sargeant & Holmes took Knebworth Park to 95 before Holmes was forced to leave the field with a leg injury.
Pete Tidey removed Sergeant for 26 soon after and Will Dobson took the wicket of Slade, Knebworth Park were still short of a respectable score at 124 for 6. Enter young Wicketkeeper Louis Champion (38) ansd Sam McCrow (42) who engineered a much needed 50 partnership. Two late Joe Curk wickets (2 for 14) left Knebworth Park 195 for 9 off hteir 53 overs.
In reply Reed set off at a reasonable rate before James Heslam fell to Brook for 7. Curtis (30) soon followed and despite a good 25 from Joe Curk, Reed were precariously placed at 81 for 4. Will Dobson ground out a gritty 27 but when he departed Reed were 117 for 6. The nagging accuary of Brook (8 for 53) and the cunning off-breaks of the Knebworth Park Skipper Turner (2 for 42) left Reed nowhere to go and they subsided to 132 All Out on the 39th Over. Knebworth Park winning by 63 runs. Reed do pick up nine points but slip to eighth in the table ahead of their “sixty pointer” next weekend against Totteridge Millhillians at The Green.
