Reed faced Old Elizabethians at Freman this weekend with the opposition in the top two at start of play. Reed lost the toss and were asked to bat. After last weeks fine batting achievement Will Heslam and Paul Garrott were asked to open but unfortunately Heslam could not repeat last weeks efforts and was bowled in the second over for 4. Ian Fulk and Paul Garrott then put together a slow but crucial second wicket partnership against some tight bowling taking the score to 110 before Fulk was dismissed for 62.
John Heslam took to the bowling and accelerated the innings together with Graham Wilson who took over when Paul Garrott was eventually run out for 35. Wilson eventually fell short of what looked a certain half century and was caught on 40. A hat trick followed by pick of the opposition bowlers Mali seeing off Heslam for 42, Ben Bowles 0 and Nick Green also for 0. Maseeh Naeem used up the remaining overs with son Matthew. Maseeh was 40 not out and Mattew 2 not out.
From 76 for 1 at half way drinks Reed had set the opposition a daunting 243 to win. The second half saw the youngsters Will Heslam and Lewis Fitzgerald open the attack and although the latter had early success as Lovegrove behind the stumps caught a good catch low down to dismiss one of the openers, the other plundered the some what wayward bowling. Heslam 7-0-62-0 was replaced by Matthew Naeem who together with another youngster Nick Green bowling spin slowed the run rate considerably. Grren eventually had the opener caught in the deep by Ben Bowles and this was swiftly followed by a good catch behind square by Ian Fulk to give Green his second wicket. Naeem junior 11-0-42-1 then struck, through a catch behind, for his only wicket of the day.
Old Elizabethians middle order put together a minor recovery before Bowles 4-0-35-1, Maseeh Naeem 4-0-29-1 and Green for his third of the day staged a fight back for Reed. Wilson took a superb catch in the deep off the skipper’s bowling but it was Green who finished with very commendable figures of 9-0-36-3. With 7 wickets down the game was very evenly poised and when Fitzgerald was reintroduced and a third catch was taken behind, the visitors were looking vulnerable. Unfortunately Reed failed to capatalise and when pick of the opposition bowlers Mali turned out to be pick of the batsmen too hitting 35 in very few deliveries Old Elizabethians claimed the 30 points with 3 overs remaining. Reed had however also gained 18 points from a hard fought and entertaining encounter.
