Thanks to a determined effort from both sides Reed and Rickmansworth managed to get a full game in at Freman. Skipper Rob Willoughby lost the toss with Rickmansworth deciding to bat.
Reed’s young openers Joe Graves (6-1-21-1) and Jack Childs (6-2-8-2) bowled superbly using the drying wicket and muggy conditions well, not giving anything away.
Both took each of the openers bowled, with Childs picking up a second thanks to a sharp catch by Willoughby in the slips.
Change bowlers Alan Ward and Willoughby then continued the good work, with their slow bowling. Ward and Willoughby stayed on for the remainder of the innings to ensure that Reed got through their overs whilst the rain came down intermittently. Ward took the important wicket of Patel who looked dangerous, and was unlucky not to get two LBW decisions. Ward finished with 15-1-63-2. At the other end Willoughby was bowling tightly on his way to his first five- for, with the help of catches from Ward, John Kershaw, Chris Marshall, and a caught and bowled, finishing with 14.3-1-45-5.
After another fantastic tea from Tina Hughes, openers Ward and Kershaw flew out of the traps to take the game to the Rickmansworth openers. Kershaw was starting to find form after a lack of games for most of the season before being caught out for 22. However, Ward looked in great touch and was the foundation of the Reed innings scoring a brilliant 85 before being trapped LBW. Chris West, who earlier kept wicket for the second time, contributed with an important 10, before Willoughby came to the crease to support Ward. Willoughby was caught for 20, shortly after Ward was dismissed, but the pair had taken the score to 147 only needing 9 to win. It was then left to Marshall (4 n.o) and Jack Hart (5 n.o) to keep their composure, whilst the bat was surrounded to each hit a boundary and secure the 5 wicket win for Reed.
