The 2nd XI were desperate to get back to winning ways against bottom of the table Potters Bar III. Baz Curtis won the toss and immediately put the visitors into bat in the humid conditions. With rain showers except the plan was to bowl the strugglers out cheaply and knock off the runs. The plan looked well on course as Rupert Martin took 2 quick wickets both from catches held by Keiran Wheeler. Skipper Scott misjudged a single and Martin was again in the action as his fine through over the stumps to keeper Marcus Baker had the skipper wells short of his ground.
Peter Tidey who was bowling from the other end and seemed to have his mojo back after a frustrating first half of the season. He was swinging the ball nicely and took the 4th wicket leaving Potters Bar on 44-4. Then came the first rain break. The teams were off for a while, but the wicket was immediately playable as soon as the rain stopped. Reed continued to pick up wickets. Wheeler has replaced Martin and soon picked up two wickets. Scott was joined by Rowland and the pair had moved the score on to 99 before Scott drove a Will Dobson and William Heslam held a good low catch a extra cover.
Dobson struck again quickly and at 102-8 Potters Bar looked down and out, but Rowland and Swale started to put to ball. Reed just lost control of the game and the pair on 81 for the 9th wicket. Heslam took a great diving catch to remove Rowland for 76, his third catch of the day. The 10th wicket put on another 16 before Marcus Baker took a stumping off the last ball of the innings as the visitors tried to get the single to give them maximum batting points. A great effort from Potters Bar whose heads never went down and set a challenging total for the home side. Due to the rain Reed had 42 over to chase down the 200.
Baz Curtis opened with William Heslam. Skipper Curtis went for 13 when the score was on 34 bring Stuart Smith to the crease. Smith and Heslam started to attack and got Reed well ahead of the required rate. Smith went for a fine 43 being caught behind. Phil Freney joined the now ever impressive Heslam. Driving through the v, he looked in full control of the situation. Then the black clouds reappeared and a valuable 30 minutes and 10 overs were lost to the show. Reed were left to get 68 from 9.3 overs. Heslam was bowled soon after the restart from an excellent 63. Matt Bowles along with Freney got the target to 30 from 30 balls, but when both were dismissed it was hard for the incoming batsman to get going on the damp track. In the end Reed fell 4 runs short. On paper it may look like the victory was lost due to the rain, but in reality it was lost in the field, 3 hours earlier.
