In a topsy turvy league game at Preston on Saturday Reed unfortunately came off second best. Reed were on top on numerous occasions before good bowling and great fielding from Preston saw them win and go ahead of Reed in the Hertfordshire league. Graham Wilson after his 9-fa last year at Preston was the pick of the Reed bowlers taking 7-59 in 17.1 overs. However after Preston were 102-8, Reed should have done better than finally bowling the home side out for 200, mainly thanks to super rear guard action from Mark Walters (48).
Without 1st team Captain James Heslam, Tom Greaves and Liam McKechnie opened the batting knowing they had 55 overs to reach the total set by Preston. The openers were involved in a calamitous run out leaving McKechnie standing at the same end as Greaves when the Preston keeper was taking the bails off at the other end and thus running McKechnie out. Stand in captain Chris Jackson tried to rebuild after this early disaster and played a great captains innings of 57. His only support was 31 from the returning Phil Frenay before Reed were bowled out for 168. Chris said “that my 57 and Grahams 7-59 become insignificant when we lose. I won’t make the excuse that by missing 3 ever presents this weekend was the reason we lost. We did not perform to the level I would expect and I hope we get going at home to Knebworth Park on Saturday
