Light showers were on the cards for the friendly fixture against Woodcutters at the Green and it was during a brief interlude that the toss was won by the visiting captain who elected to insert Reed.
Opening for the hosts was Marcus J.E. Baker and Mathew Naeem who played the supporting role as Baker played in a care free fashion, swinging the bat hard and achieving positive results. Baker plundered ten fours and four sixes but in the eighteenth over as he took Reed from 99 to 117 he was caught behind for 82. After drinks Matt Naeem, now joined by Rob Willoughby, came out of his shell and notched up a few boundaries of his own. He was caught trying to up the run rate for a well played 44, meanwhile Willoughby was caught for 31 having scored in an aggressive fashion. In the closing over Masseh Naeem smashed 18, well supported by Jack Caine who made 7 not out. Reed closed on a competitive 229 for 5.
After tea Reed made early inroads as Neil Haslam (8-1-32-2) and Joe Graves (6-0-42-2) took wickets thanks to a catch by Rob Willoughby as well as one from Keeper M.J.E. Baker who also took a tidy leg side stumping. However, despite the good start Woodcutters still found the boundary often and a partnership by Bartsch and Berdes (89*) all but got them home, Jack Caine (5-036-1) removing Bartsch (66) before the end.
