Match report to follow

Reed went head to head with top of the table Ickleford at the Freman College ground in Buntingford with hosting captain Paul Garrott winning the toss and electing to field first. It was one of the hottest days of the year and would have been a lot hotter if it were not for a cool breeze that blew across the pitch as Christian Martin (9-1-66-0) and Chris West (3-0-17-0) opened the bowling for Reed. An early chance went down and it was a mistake that Reed would regret as Rayard and Howard set a good opening partnership of 115 before Howard (54) was caught by Alan Ward from the bowling of the ever reliable Ian Roberts. Morris (46) and Pearath (35) also made partnerships with Rayard as he reached three figures. Roberts (11-2-45-2) took another wicket thanks to a high catch by Mathew Naeem at Mid off and Ward (4-0-33-1)took the only other wicket as Ickleford declared after 42 overs on 276 for 3, Rayard 117 not out. Reed had generally fielded well in spite of the heat but with the lightning fast out-field big totals are always on the cards. In reply the ever impressive Garrott once again got Reed off to the best possible start opening with James Hooper. The pair began to make Ickleford sweat as they put on 84 in 14 overs before Hooper was out prematurely for 38 falling to R. Izzard (17-1-61-6). Hooper was replaced by number three Sam Deville (48) who struck some nice looking boundaries whilst Garrott continued to lead his side as he went past his half century. Reed needed less than one hundred from 16 overs when Deville fell and Marcus J.E. Baker walked out [...]

Having come third and been promoted in their first year in the league last year, Reeds fourth eleven captain Peter Baker was naturally hoping the team could continue to find successes in division 13. With the weather forecast predicting heavy showers it was certainly lucky that rain stayed away on the first day of May as Reed got their league campaign off to a good start. Hatfield Hyde won the toss and the hosting captain decided as one of his players was still absent that batting first was the right decision. He was wrong as the Reed bowling talent got into their opponents. Chris West started well with a spell of three for twenty two from seven overs, whilst Nick Green (6-0-26-1) opened at the other end and had the potentially dangerous number three Downer (14) caught behind by wicket keeper Marcus J.E. Baker. Christian Martin staked a claim at the head of the family leader board with a good spell of nine overs three wickets for eighteen. Wickets also came from Peter Bradford (6-0-41-1) and Peter Baker (2.2-0-6-1) whilst there were catches from Nick Green, Sam Deville, Peter Baker, Chris West and a stunning catch from Paul Garrott who seemed to pluck the ball from the air. Hatfield Hyde were all out for 118. In response Reed were confident for a win but were aware that it wouldn’t be cake walk. Peter Baker and Paul Garrott opened proceedings for Reed and the two made a solid base for the team. The score was 48 when P. Baker was adjudged out LBW for 23, John Kershaw also suffered a similar fate for just 5 runs but that allowed George Garrott to join his farther at [...]

With just two games remaining, two more victories are essential for Reed’s fourth eleven to get promoted into Division 12. The first of those two games was away at Datchworth, unfortunately not playing on the picturesque main ground but there recently laid second ground situated behind the main ground which suffered from heavy gusts of wind blowing across the square. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision they would be made to rue as Reed’s bowling talent ripped through their order. Lewis Fitzgerald in his opening spell took care of the potentially dangerous top order bowling two and getting a third LBW, he would return to take a fourth wicket in his second spell finishing with figures of 4 for 34. Christian Martin then took care of the middle order in his spell of 14 overs, finding form as he finished with 4 for 39. James Hooper proved economical finishing his 6 overs for only 9 runs as well as taking care of the heavy hitting Ansell (15) nick named ‘slogger’. Alan Ward needed only to bowl a single delivery to take the final wicket thanks to a tidy stumping from Marcus J.E. Baker who had also taken two good catches. Datchworth finished on 91 all out from only 30 overs. Reed once again displayed some brilliant fielding especially from Paul Garrott who also took a good catch. Paul Garrott and Peter Baker saw no need to rush themselves in chasing down the low total, Peter Baker leading the response with 38. The job was done with only two wickets lost, Paul Garrott finishing on 46 not out which now returns his average to the high nineties. Reed now just [...]

Continuing their recent good form Reed secured another victory in their run down to the end of the season. Playing away at Amersham against Chipperfield Clarendon, captain Peter Baker lost the toss and as expected was asked to bat first, Chipperfield having fielded first every time they’ve won the toss this season. Aiden Swain and Paul Garrott opened up and scored quickly. The opening bowlers never looked like taking a wicket as they both proved expensive as Reed cruised past the hundred mark. With the score on 128 Aiden Swain (61) was out caught off the bowling of first change, Smith (7-0-38-1) and so George Garrott went out to join his father at the crease who by now had also got his half century. The two continued in the same form punishing the indifferent bowling and what better way to celebrate his second century of the season than with his son, Paul Garrott scoring at just over a run a ball taking Reed to a secure position. He was then out for a fantastic 104. Reed then lost some cheap wickets and the chance of losing out on a fantastic start to an innings was possible until Marcus J.E. Baker joined George Garrott and the pair stopped any form of momentum the opposition were trying to build. Before being run out George Garrott had also reached fifty, he was replaced by Tom Trimble. Reed used up their full 47 overs finishing on the dominant score of 288 for 6, Trimble had been caught on the penultimate ball for 17 but Baker was undefeated for 33. In reply the opposition made a solid start before a catch by Matt Naeem at mid on from the bowling [...]

Reed continued their league campaign with another solid victory, over Broxbourne at the Freman College ground. Peter Baker lost the toss and was asked to bat first by the visiting captain. The track was solid and flat and for once the weather was forecast for a lovely day. Peter Baker again opened with a Garrott, this time it was George Garrotts turn as he and Baker made a good start for Reed. The score was 69 when G. Garrott was bowled for 35 (8x4’s), this wicket brought Roddy Liebenberg to the crease. Recovering from injury, the recently moved Reed resident made his presence known as he made runs easily, hitting the ball hard past the young side. At the Freman ground when the ball has got past the infield its almost certainly going to make it to the boundary no matter how hard you strike the ball, but just to be sure Liebenberg smashed the ball and quickly overtook P. Baker. With the score on 206 from only 27 overs Reed lost Baker for a well crafted 50, which brought in Sam Deville (8) who was unfortunate not to find the same success he found last week. Marcus J.E. Baker then came to the crease and was there when Liebenberg (100) reached three figures with one of very few singles in his innings (82 runs in boundaries, 16x4 & 3x6). M.J.E. Baker and Alan Ward then continued to frustrate Broxbourne after Liebenberg’s retirement as they tried to get as many runs as possible on the board by the fortieth over. However, the declaration actually came an over earlier and after 39 overs Reed had finished on 296 for 7. M.J.E. Baker had struck 22 but [...]

The fours suffered their first defeat of the season when they played away to Chiltern 06. On a cool and overcast day Reed captain Paul Garrott won the toss and elected to field first. Reed started with only nine on the field as two players were still finding their way to the pitch, a fact that the Chiltern openers took advantage of as they smashed some early runs. The adrenalin must have been pumping in Walsh (16) as he wildly swung at one from Nick Green and only managed an edge which went through to Marcus J.E. Baker who gleefully took the gift. However, danger man Horwood who had hit 598 runs last year in division 14 remained at the crease until a leading edge off of George Garrott (10-4-34-1) shot up to be taken by Tom Trimble at mid-on. The momentum continued as the following over saw another wicket fall as sharp ball from Chris West (10-1-53-2) surprised McGill (0) and he was out caught by keeper Baker. As more cheap wickets fell Reed sensed that they might be chasing down a small target, but an impressive innings by Davies scuppered Reed's hopes. Taking his time to get in Davies, the most technically gifted of the Chiltern line up, played well and only accelerated as he saw his various partners fall. He was the last wicket to fall for 105, and he had successfully upset Reed by leading his side to 210 all out. Tom Trimble (4-0-14-1) bowled well but it was Christian Martin who proved the most effective and finished his epic spell with figures of 5 for 38 from 17 overs. In reply Reed started well with an opening partnership of 52 [...]

Match report to follow

Match report to follow

Victory was just out of Reeds grasp in this thrilling game played against Bentley Heath at the Freman College Ground. Skipper Alan Ward won the toss and elected to bat first. Missing the usual openers and prolific scorers in Paul and George Garrott, John Kershaw and Marcus J.E. Baker did their best to fill their shoes, however Kershaw (4) fell victim to a good catch at point. Peter Bradford scored 10 but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and Reed looked in real trouble. But things could have been a lot worse if it were not for Baker who played an essential innings and made a partnership of 100 when he was joined by Ian Roberts (37). Finding the boundary with ease Baker struck some class drives and pull shots to frustrate the opposition captain and to punish the bowlers taking them for close to twenty runs in an over on several occasions. He brought up his 50 in just 36 balls and reached three figures in only 62 hitting 21 fours and 3 sixes damaging not only the bowler’s figures but the windows of the pavilion. But when Herbert (4.2-0-19-3) let go of a lose one Bakers eyes lit up but only connected with the side of his bat and was eventually out caught for 113 leaving Reed on 188 for 6 from only 24 overs. Nick Green scored 12 but Reed were all out for 227 in only 30 overs leaving the opposition 60 overs to chase it down. Things got even worse for Reed in the second innings when they lost the experience of their main wicket taker Roberts when he was forced to leave the field due to a nasty [...]