Saffron Walden won the toss and chose to bat. It was a poor wicket and the ball was keeping low. It was a hard wicket to bat on but lent itself to the bowlers. Reed took advantage of this and by the 4th over 3 wickets had fallen to the opening bowlers Dan Howard 4-0-26-2 and Connor Poulton 3-1-11-2. The following batsman could not get a start and by the 14th over Walden were 41 for 9. Wickets falling to Reece Fitzgerald 4-0-7-1, Rhodri Hughes 2-0-2-2 and Shai Cookson-Swan 3-0-6-1. Catches went to Fitzgerald, Hughes and Cookson-Swan, 2 run outs to Connor Poulton and a stumping to Ian Curtis. Walden’s final partnership put on 31 runs and they batted out the last 6 overs for a final total of 72. Walden’s top scorer Sean Colliety 11 no.
Reed went into bat but were cautious of the predictably low keeping wicket. The opening batsman made a start but Fitzgerald was caught in the 4th over with a score of 2. Connor Poulton then took up the reins with Rhodri Hughes, a partnership of 55 took them up to the 11th over when Hughes fell to a cruel run. Poulton hit the ball straight back to Hughes’ stumps, backing up well out of his crease, the bowler got a hand to the ball and Hughes was gone for 7. Poulton had been hitting regular boundaries and Reed only needed 3 runs to win when Jack Caine came in to bat. Saffron Walden’s Charlie Passfield then bowled a maiden over. Reed where not taking any chances. In the 12th over with Connor Poulton’s best score 40no inc 6 4’s, Reed wrapped up the game with a final total of 75 for 2.
