Reed’s 2nd XI went into Saturday’s match against St. Margaretsbury II looking for a much need victory. Reed won the toss and took the brave decision to field first. Reed opened up with the Ward brothers, Kallum and Karl. Both bowled tightly, but it was Karl who made the first breakthrough with a good caught and bowled to get rid of Reed for 10. Skipper Archer then turned to spin and brought on Will Dobson. The wicket wasn’t producing much turn, but Dobson was soon using some excellent flight to keep the runs down.Ed Garrott came on from the tennis court end and despite a shaky start soon turned one sharply through Richard’s defences he was bowled for 21. Kitteringham was looking like he could stick around all day before Sean Tidey took a great legside catch of Dodson to remove him for 21. Dobson then had Miller caught at slip the next ball with Baz Curtis holding a sharp chance. The hat-trick was not completed, but Reed were now on top. Bailey played some aggressive shots off both spinners and hit a fine 57 before he was lbw to Garrott. Dobson ended with 4-60 off 21 overs and Garrott 2-48 from 16 overs. St. Margaretsbury ended 170-8 in their 53 overs.Reed were confident they could knocked the runs off, but lost Curtis for a 3 ball duck and were 0-1. Stuart Smith came to the wicket and raced to 12 from 4 balls, but after that the open bowlers of Bentley and Ayres started to make scoring very tough. Reed had only scored 38 runs in 18 overs when Fergus Martin was removed for 15 trying to up the rate. All rounder Dobson joined [...]

Reed second XI entertained Redbourn on Saturday in their Hertfordshire League clash. Skipper Jason Archer won the toss and with a fantastically prepared batting track and glorious conditions chose to bat. Mark King and Fergus Martin got Reed off to an excellent start putting on 81 before King was caught for 60. Marcus Martin joined the fray and after struggling early on went through the gears putting on 58 with his sibling before Fergus was trapped in front for 20. Ian Fulk joined Martin and the pair completed Reed’s third 50 partnership of the innings with Fulk managing just 7 before he was caught spectacularly but bizarrely at gulley of the wicket keepers boots pads and gloves. Richard Johnson in imperious form entered his first shot a contender for shot of the day as it raced to the boundary for 4. Martin’s innings had been purring all afternoon and with three figures in sight he was caught a short extra cover, a fine knock of 87 that really deserved a century. Reed continued to pile on the agony for Redbourn as Karl Ward set about the attack in cavalier fashion. With Johnson a 5th wicket partnership of 43 ensued before Ward was caught on the boundary for 17. The Reed innings closed on a massive 261 – 5 with Johnson unbeaten on 43. With such a fine deck the run chase was always on and Redbourn’s openers started as if this was their target. Ward a revelation with the ball this year found the edge of Smiths bat on numerous occasions, but his luck ran out when he edged one to the gulley region where Archer trousered his first top draw catch of the day, to send him [...]

Reed II’s came away with an emphatic victory over Rickmansworth II’s at The Green on Saturday. Batting first, Reed’s openers Baz Curtis and Fergus Martin got off to a solid start, taking the score towards 3 figures when Curtis fell for a well made 43. Fergus Martin was then joined by younger looking brother Marcus at the crease, and another large partnership followed. F. Martin played some wonderful strokes, and soon passed his half-century, with M. Martin also beginning to find the boundary with more ease. M. Martin reached his half-century, before he fell, caught behind for 57. Undeterred by the loss of his brother, F. Martin went on to score a fantastic maiden, and near chanceless league century, ending up 102 Not Out. Ian Fulk (17) also added some runs with a late cameo, as Reed declared on 227-4 off of 51 of their allotted 53 Overs. Rickmansworth’s reply never looked like getting going, from the moment the ‘evergreen’ Peter Tidey bowled one opener, and the returning Andrew Emms trapped the other LBW. Both bowlers ripped into the visitors, Emms finishing with 5 wickets, and Tidey 4 as Rickmansworth finished up 68 all out. Rupert Martin was the final wicket taker, giving Reed a well deserved 30points, leaving them comfortably in mid-table with hat looks to be another season in Division 6 to look forward to next year.

Reed moved in to third position in the league on Saturday after another comprehensive victory. This time over fellow promotion hopefuls Old Cholmelians. After losing the toss and being asked to bowl, Richard Johnson removed the opener with the first ball of his spell. Sanderson and Jaleel then forged a partnership of 112, before Jason Archer had the latter caught in the gulley by King. Undaunted Old Cholms continued and with 18 overs to go with the score 154-2, it looked like Reed were going to have to chase a mammoth total, but Richard Robertson and Archer had other ideas. In tandem the swing bowling attack reduced Old Cholms to 185 all out in 44 of their alloted 53 overs. Archer with 3-48 and Robertson picking up 5-43 of 12 overs. Reed had 55 overs to chase the target but in the end needed considerably fewer. Fergus Martin and Mark King put on 76 for the first wicket and King another 44 with Marcus Martin. King passed 50 then acclerated putting on 52 with Phillip Frenay, before falling for an outstanding, 125 out of a total of 176. Frenay and Ben Bowles then saw Reed home without further loss, as the hosts chalked up a 7 wicket victory in just 33 overs. Still undefeated, Reed travel to a surprisingly struggling, Kings Langley on Saturday with promotion more than a distinct possibility. Captain Jason Archer commented " It is the end of July and we are still to lose a game if we can carry on the run until the end of the season, promotion from a very strong division would be a certainty but we will take nothing for granted, as all teams in this [...]

Reed moved in to third position in the league on Saturday after another comprehensive victory. This time over fellow promotion hopefuls Old Cholmelians. After losing the toss and being asked to bowl, Richard Johnson removed the opener with the first ball of his spell. Sanderson and Jaleel then forged a partnership of 112, before Jason Archer had the latter caught in the gulley by King. Undaunted Old Cholms continued and with 18 overs to go with the score 154-2, it looked like Reed were going to have to chase a mammoth total, but Richard Robertson and Archer had other ideas. In tandem the swing bowling attack reduced Old Cholms to 185 all out in 44 of their alloted 53 overs. Archer with 3-48 and Robertson picking up 5-43 of 12 overs. Reed had 55 overs to chase the target but in the end needed considerably fewer. Fergus Martin and Mark King put on 76 for the first wicket and King another 44 with Marcus Martin. King passed 50 then acclerated putting on 52 with Phillip Frenay, before falling for an outstanding, 125 out of a total of 176. Frenay and Ben Bowles then saw Reed home without further loss, as the hosts chalked up a 7 wicket victory in just 33 overs.Still undefeated, Reed travel to a surprisingly struggling, Kings Langley on Saturday with promotion more than a distinct possibility. Captain Jason Archer commented " It is the end of July and we are still to lose a game if we can carry on the run until the end of the season, promotion from a very strong division would be a certainty but we will take nothing for granted, as all teams in this league [...]