Skipper Jason Archer won the toss away at Tewin last Saturday and had no hesitation in deciding to bat. It didn’t look a good decision when Baz Curtis nicked one to slip, but once the ball hit the ground the Reed openers didn’t look back. Curtis took full advantage and along with open partner Fergus Martin looked in no trouble after that. Curtis was the first to reach 50 with another 4 through the covers. Martin continued to put the bad ball away and with some good running kept the scoreboard ticking.
Curtis was now in full flow and raced through his second fifty with 9 boundaries and brought up his 25th ton for Reed. At drinks, at the halfway stage, Reed were nicely placed at 142-0. With the first ball after drinks Martin brought up his fifty following on from his maiden ton the week before. 8 overs later with the score on 196 Curtis tried to hit spinner Fish over the top and was caught at long on. His 126 included 23 fours and 1 six. Three runs later, Martin followed when he was also caught for a fine 57.
Reed got maximum batting points in the 36th over. With 17 more to go it was just a matter of how many Reed would get and when the declaration would come. Marcus Martin and Richard Johnson soon got into their stride and continued to find the boundary on regular occasions. Martin beat the more aggressive Johnson to his fifty with Johnson getting his in the last over before the declaration came. Skipper Archer decided that 50 overs a side was a fair declaration and with the wicket seeming very flat and with short boundaries the 314 set to win was chasable. Martin was 60 not out and Johnson 53 not out.
Tewin got off to a steady start, but were never going at the rate required to get close. Ian Fulk swooped in from square leg and with a fine throw to keeper Martin ran out Patterison for 1. Davison and Fielding then started to put bat to ball and it looked for a while if they stayed together the match might get interesting. Jason Archer had other ideas. He brought himself into the attack and with the ball reversing he had Davison LBW in his first over. Peter Tidey not to be outdone bowled Fielding for 37. From then on Tewin were just trying to see out the overs, despite 35 overs remaining. Archer picked up another 3 wickets finishing with 4-22 in 11 overs.
Vacani showed extraordinary patience batting for 36 overs for 28 not out. Despite Ed Garrott getting a wicket with 10 over to go, Reed couldn’t get another breakthrough and Tewin ended up 158-7 in their 50 overs. Just 155 runs short.
