Reed 3rd XI maintained their push for promotion from Herts League Division 12 with a very substantive victory over fellow promotion challengers Stevenage V.
Winning the toss Reed chose to bat first on a rare 2007 hot and sunny afternoon and after the early loss of opener Baker 16 year old Fergus Martin and veteran skipper John Heslam, 40 years his senior, set about building Reeds formidable total.
The pair eventually amassed a new record Reed 3rd XI 2nd wicket partnership of 147 before the elegant Martin was caught for 51. Heslam meanwhile continued to take the attack to the Stevenage bowlers and plunered them for a fine century which included 17 x 4’s. Heslam was supported by good contributions from Michael Robertson 20 and Masseh Naeem 28 before he fell bowled for 105. Ward18 nout out batted through with Naeem until the Reed declaration at 240 – 5 off only 42 overs.
In reply Stevenage were always struggling against an accurate Reed bowling attack and fine catching. Rupert Martin 8 overs 2-6, and Neil Haslam 2-23 inflicted the early damage ell supported by superb catches by Martin himself, Masseh Naeem and Peter Baker. Ian Roberts then kept Stevenage under a tight rein with 10 overs 2-15 before Ward with 2.2 overs 3-10 administerd the last rights to a shell shocked Stevenage team who despite recovering from 35-5 could only muster 123 all out from their 37.2 overs leaving Reed winners by 117 runs.
