Reed's 2nd XI were looking to consolidate their position in the promotion place of Division 6 of the Herts League, but a poor display left them losing and taking on 14 points from the game. Winning the toss on what looked like a batting paradise and asking Letchworth III to field looked a good call by skipper Baz Curtis.He opened with William Heslam and the two didn't look in any real trouble as the moved the score along to 39 without loss. Heslam was driving down the ground beautifully and Curtis was putting the bad ball away well. Curtis decided to run the ball down the 3rd man rather than fully attack it and only managed to edge the ball to the keeper.Fergus Martin joined young Heslam and they added 19 before Martin got a leading edge and was easily caught. Heslam continued to find the boundary regularly, but Letchworth had now turned to their spin bowlers and Reed were beginning to look less positive. Richard Johnson was caught before for 11 and at 94-3 the game was finally balanced. Marcus Martin looked like he might be able to dominate the bowling and again seemed in control. Heslam and Martin had added 12 more when Heslam reached a well deserved 50, including 9 fours. Within a few balls he was well caught at a short third man and all of a sudden Reed were 4 down.That became 5 when Martin was out LBW and then 124-6 and 137-7. This was never a 137-7 wicket and Reed were looking down the barrel. They had plenty of over to bat, but they need a decent partnership to have any chance of putting the visitor under pressure.Mitchell Cooper [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI secured a very good win away at Hemel Hempstead III in their latest Saracen’s Herts League game. Losing the toss and being asked to field didn’t look the worst outcome as Kallum Ward found some excellent seam movement early on. He was unlucky to not find the edge of the bat on numerous occasion in his opening spell of 7 overs for just 20 runs. It was in opening partner Will Clarke who made the break through when the score was on 39 bowling Allen for 8. The run rate was slow, but Reed never really looked like rolling through the home side.Mitchell Cooper replaced Ward and in his final over he removed Elbourne for 46 finding the edge of his bat and Sean Tidey did the rest. Another solid partnership put on 52 and at this point it looked like Reed could be chasing a big total. Roddi Liebenberg came into the attack and took a sharp caught and bowled to leave the host 133-3. Peter Tidey then got in the act having Reader stumped for just 1. Hemel had reached 154-4 before Ed Garrott came into the attack. He immediately struck bowling Raval for 45. He looked like he could have upped the run rate and it was a vital wicket. Tidey picked up another wicket and Garrott struck again to suddenly give the visitors a sniff of bowling out Hemel. At 155-7 Frebbrey had other ideas and along with Braggins put on vital runs at the death. Garrott finished with 3-28 in his 6 overs. Reed were left to chase down 205 of 47 overs.Skipper Baz Curtis opened with Stuart Smith, and quickly lost Smith adjudged caught behind for [...]

Reed lost more points in the promotion push with another draw. Losing the toss and being asked to field was no surprise to the home side. The track looked flat and bowling a side out was going to be a struggle. Kallum Ward and Chris Peckett again opened the Reed attack and kept the runs down in the early stages. Butterworth and Summerfield for Flitwick looked in no trouble and it wasn’t until Summerfield called for a quick single that the first wicket came. Roddi Liebenberg swept in from mid wicket and Butterworth couldn’t beat the throw.Mitchell Cooper replaced Ward and struck quickly having Valentine LBW for a duck. By now Summerfield was in full control. A mixture of positive shot selection and good running saw him reach an easy 50. Chris Peckett was still plugging away and bowled an excellent 20 over spell. He took the wicket of Moss thanks to an excellent catch from James Hooper at mid on. Jason Archer replaced Cooper and it didn’t take long for him to get in the wickets. He took three wickets all bowled and ended up with 3-47 from his 12 overs. Summerfield looked nailed on for a ton, but Fergus Martin got through his defences and bowled him for an excellent 89. He had been joined by Adams and the youngest was keen to take every run on offer. He took up where Summerfield left off and scored a chancless 59 before he was run out. The visitors ended on 228-8 in their 53 overs.Reed thought the wicket was probably a 240 wicket and that 229 was gettable. Baz Curtis had a new opening partner in Mat Bowles and the pair took the fight [...]

Reed travelled to play Flamstead with the visitors 6th and the home side 5th in the table. A close game was always going to be on the cards. With Matt Bowles pulling up lame just prior to the game, Reed had to play with 10 men. Peter Tidey won the toss and had no hesitation in asking their hosts to bat first on a wet wicket. Flamstead got off to a steady start against the opening attack of Kallum Ward and Mitchell Cooper. Both went for 18 off their 7 overs, but Cooper was the one who made the breakthrough having Oswin caught by Richard Johnson for 19.Despite the pitch being damp, and drying surprisingly quickly their were no demons in the track except for the odd ball keeping low. Karl Ward replaced his brother and Peter Tidey replaced Cooper. Ward bowled an excellent line and length. Tidey got the ball to swing from his first ball and looked the most likely to get a wicket. The score had reached 48 when Sean Tidey took a swift stumping to remove Galyor for 20. Eleven runs later he struck again to leave the home side 59-3. They still looked very solid with the bat and it looked like a big total could be on the cards. Brown came to the crease and started to put bat to ball. His first 5 scoring shots were all boundaries and the game was going away from Reed. The Reed skipper decided the best cause of action was to try to keep Brown off strike as much as possible and this seemed to work a treat. Tidey was now in full flow. The 4th wicket fell at 85 and the [...]

Reed's 2nd XI managed to dent their own promotion ambitions with a poor batting display at fellow challengers Chorleywood. Baz Curtis again won the toss and decided to bat. Reed got off to a flier as Curtis raced to 21 and to 31 in just 6 overs. When Curtis was caught at mid off William Heslam joined Fergus Martin and the pair looked in control and kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely. Heslam driving well and finding the boundary at a good rate. He then became the first of Ryan's 5 victims when he was adjudged LBW for 15.The same bowler struck again to remove Matt Bowles and then bowled Fergus Martin and all of a sudden the visitors were in a real mess at 55-4. This soon became 65-8 and it didn't look like Reed would set any sort of challenge. Rupert Martin had other ideas and constructed a solid 30 and with Chris Peckett saw Reed past 100. When he was dismissed Reed lasted only another 2 overs and limped to 104 all out.With plenty of time before the scheduled tea break Chorleywood started their reply. Kallum Ward opened the attack for Reed along with Peter Tidey. Ward struck in his 3 over and Tidey took 2 wickets including a stunning caught and bowled. It was so calmly taken one handed that it seems he catches them every time. Reed thought they might have a sniff of victory and at tea the home side were 53-3.Sherah and Toms looked solid and Reed need to make early inroads after the break. Chris Peckett bowled Sherah with the score on 73. 30 to win with 6 wickets in hand, Toms decided it was time to [...]

Having completed their league duties a mix bag Reed side faced Baldock for a friendly at the Green and having won the toss Reeds captain Tom Greaves decided to bat first opening with the young Sean Tidey and Marcus J.E. Baker.Tidey (9) was bowled by Monkston’s first ball in the second over as Reed struggled until Baker and number 3 Will Heslam began to make runs. They had made 61 when Heslam (19) was bowled, George Garrott came in and made 7 but was also out prematurely. M.J.E. Baker was then joined by his own father Peter Baker who helped his son get over the half century mark. However, both Bakers were soon back in the pavilion, Marcus caught for 63 and Peter caught not long after for 21. Tom Greaves (14*) and Steve Lovegrove (16*) then saw out the rest of the overs as Reed finished on 178 for 6. Reed only required 9 wickets as the opposition only had ten players and the first soon fell to Chris Peckett (8-0-45-3). Mitchell Cooper opened up coming down the hill and only went for 5 runs from his 6 overs. Kallum Ward took one for 20 whilst his brother Karl took two for 27. Greaves also took two and Sean Tidey took the final wicket as Reed won 31 runs. J. Peacock had looked dangerous till he shot up a catch for Lovegrove with the gloves and Jones had made 39 not out.