Reed’s 2nd XI got their first win of the season against 2nd in the table Leverstock Green. Reed won the toss and put the home side into bat on a damp track. The opening attack of Rupert Martin and Kallum Ward bowled extremely well. Ward was extremely unlucky not to take a wicket with some fine seam and swing bowling. It was Martin who took the first 2 wickets leaving the home side 20-2.The Littlejohn brothers rebuilt the innings battling through the tough conditions. L. Littlejohn decided putting bat to ball was the best form of defence and raced to 36 before holing out in the deep off the bowling of Fynn. At drinks it seemed the home side had set a good foundation for a large total, but Peter Tidey had other ideas. He struck with the first ball after drinks. When the score reached 134 Tidey removed D. Littlejohn for 53 and the watch turned. 4 wickets fell for 4 runs. The returning Will Clarke removed the hosts skipper for 16 and then bowled Walker for 2. At 138-9 it seem Reed had done the hard work, but May and Lake batted sensibly to put on a valuable 26 for the last wicket before Martin struck again to take his 3rd wicket. Tidey finished with 4-50.In reply Reed also lost an early wicket when Fergus Martin was bowled. Baz Curtis along with Phil Freney got their heads down and saw off what dangerous were left in the pitch. It had flattened out and the sun had come out making batting easier. Curtis took full advantage racing to 50 in just 14 overs before he smashed one back at Littlejohn who clung on to [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI’s season went from bad to worse with yet another batting collapse. Skipper Baz Curtis won the toss and had no hesitation putting in the visitors on a damp wicket. Kings Langley had reached 11 before Rupert Martin had Pinchin caught at mid off. He struck again 6 runs later leaving visitors 17-2. Alex Kelly replaced Tom Walsingham and Peter Tidey replaced Martin and suddenly Reed took a strangle hold. Kelly bowled a tight line and along with Tidey kept the runs to a minimum. Tidey had Smith run out backing up and Kelly chipped in with 2 well deserved wickets. All of a sudden it was 33-6. Scanbrook was the only batsman to look comfortable and he struck some lust blows and moved the strike around well as his partners came and went.Tidey picked up two more wickets leaving Kings Langley 9 down for 87. 21 was added for the last wicket before Walsingham bowled Burnell. Scanbrook was left 49 not out.Reed made a decent start in reply. Roddi Liebenberg and Baz Curtis put on 22 for the first wicket. Liebenberg being removed for 13. Curtis fell for the same total when the score was 31. At 35-3 the game looked evenly poised. Phil Freney and Will Clarke looked to have turned the game back in Reed’s favour putting on 27 before Freney went for 11. Still at 62-4 Reed felt like one more good partnership would see them home. If only that had happened. A mixture of excellent catching and sharp fielding saw the home side collapse from 62-4 to 68-8. A late charge from Peter Tidey who topped scored with 17 wasn’t enough as Shandy came back into the attack [...]

Reed played another 60 pointer this week against fellow strugglers Letchworth III. Fairfield Park is a lovely place to play cricket and the pavilion improvements over the winter make it even better. Baz Curtis lost the toss and surprised to be asked to bat first. The wicket looked a good wicket to bat first on. Openers Curtis and Fergus Martin battled through some tight opening bowling from Edwards and Kendal. Edwards found some swing from ball one until the end of his 27 over spell. Curtis was the first to go when the score had reached 44 when he tried one to many drives off Edwards and was caught on the boundary for 30.A run out and 2 more Edwards victims saw the visitors crumple to 66-4 was soon 78-6. Richard Johnson and Roddi Liebenberg put on 41 for the 6th wicket before Liebenberg when for 17, the 4th of Edwards wickets. Marcus Baker joined Johnson who was now in full flow. A mixture of good running and some positive hitting saw them get Reed into the batting points. After adding 44 together Baker went for 22. Toby Fynn came in with the express aim to get Reed to maximum batting points. He was out with the score on 198, but he had helped Johnson reach a fine and much need 50.Peter Tidey and Johnson saw Reed to 201-9 at the end of their 53 overs. Edwards mammoth spell ended with figures of 27-3-91-4. Johnson was left 58 not out.In reply Toby Fynn struck early, but after that wickets were hard to find. Peter Tidey removed the stubborn G. Bishton for 11 and quickly accounted for Dovey and Reed looked in total control. Opener A. [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI were in desperate need of 30 points to help them in the relegation fight. They lost the toss on a sweltering day at Ickleford. The home side decided to bat on what looked like a decent batting track. Tom Walsingham bowled a tight open spell conceding just 15 runs from his 6 over. Senior partner Peter Tidey was also keeping things tight from the other end. The bowling was so tight that the run rate was just over 2 an over. Toby Fynn replaced Walsingham and made the break through Reed needed. Tidey soon got into the action from the other end picking up 3 quick wickets.Alex Kelly then got in to the action. Ickleford decided it was time to break the shackles and Kelly was the man to attack. His first 2 balls went flying to the boundary, but his 3rd was well held by Richard Barlow behind the stumps and Ickleford were 5 down. Kelly wasn’t done. He took the remaining 5 wickets and finished with 6-10. Ickleford were left 69 all out.After a fine tea, Reed were left to knock off the 70 runs required. In past season this would have been no problem, but this season low totals have been a problem. Baz Curtis and Richard Johnson opened for the visitors and were soon in their stride. They had reached 50 in just 6 overs as they found the boundary on regular occasions. Johnson in particular was in fine form. He hit 10 boundaries in his 41 before being softly caught and bowled. Curtis was removed with 8 runs left. Will Clarke also fell, but Reed managed to get over the line and won by 7 wickets and [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI travelled to Hoddesdon for their latest league match. Water had seeped under the covers and delayed the start. Reed lost the toss and were unsurprising put into bat. Openers Baz Curtis and Fergus Martin made slow, but steady progress against a good opening spell from Burroughs and Sturdy. The pair put on the first 50 opening partnership of the season before Curtis was caught at mid wicket for 34 in the 19th over.Martin was unlucky to play on off the bowling of Gandon and when Barlow went soon after Reed were in all sorts of trouble. Will Clarke and Matt Bowles put on 29 for the 4th wicket. Bowles seemed to be getting back in the groove after his injury lay off before he feathered a catch behind. This brought in Marcus Martin who upped the run rate with Clarke. Clarke managing to hit his first ever 6 on the way to 26, but could so easily have been 32 if he hadn’t missed the long hop and been bowled. Martin’s brisk 31 got Reed into the batting points apply assisted by Marcus Baker. With just 4 overs left Reed were 156-6 and the next batting points 14 runs away. Baker decided this was doable and more than that got Reed to the next batting point as well. With some fine striking and taking advantage of the short boundary he smashed 40 not out to leave Reed 185-6 off their 50 overs.The wicket had now dried thanks to the strong wind and it was going to take some accurate bowling to make 186 needed competitive. Tom Wallsingham opened into the gale and bowled very well, but it was his new ball partner [...]

Reed’s poor form with the bat again cost the 2nd XI dear. Winning the toss and deciding to bat first seemed the obviously thing to do when the home skipper won the toss. The wicket looked a good batting surface. Openers Bas Curtis and Fergus Martin took their time and put the bad ball away with aplomb. Martin in particular looked in good nick. Curtis was the first to go when he stopped on a drive and was caught at point. A decent opening stand of 46 seemed to have set the foundation for a decent total. Unfortunately that became 46-2 the very next ball when Richard Johnson was removed. Ricahrd Barlow and Martin moved the score along to 79 before Barlow was caught. Twenty Eight overs still remained with wickets in hand.Wigfield has been brought in to the attack and with some good flight he tempted Martin to try and hit over the top only to be caught at mid-off. 94-4 soon became 136-8. Reed scored 40 runs in 12 overs losing those 4 wickets. Roddi Liebenberg and Ben Bowles both got in, but couldn’t get the big score Reed now needed. Marcus Baker struck a lusty 21 before being the last man out for 21. Reed were all out for 161.The pitched held no dangers so Reed need to bowl tightly. Nicklin had other plans and with some lusty blows looked to take the game away from Reed. He seemed to take a liking to Alex Kelly’s bowling, but Kelly had the final say when he bowled Nicklin for 14 with the score on 19. Kelly struck twice when the total had reached 37 and Reed saw a chink on light. The Flitwick [...]

Reed's 2nd XI lacklustre season ended with a lacklustre display. Reed won the toss and had no hesitation to bat first. Baz Curtis and Richard Johnson made a great start finding the boundary regular. It was a good challenge between bat and ball. Rogers was finding some swing and Inman was generating some good pace. Both openers looks settled and had reached 56 before Johnson was bowled for 22 by Inman. Five runs later her struck again removing Curtis in the same manor for 37. The next 12 overs summed up the 2nd XI Reed's season as they went from 56-0 to 96-5. 200 runs was vital for the home side if they were to stave off relegation and at this point it didn't look good. Matt Bowles looked in fine touch, but was removed by Ridley and Reed were 115-7. Marcus Baker struck a quick 10. Simon Jackson wasn't scoring at a rapid rate, but his experience told him a partnership was required. He helped the tail to put on a vital 39 runs. He and Tom Walsingham added 29 for the last wicket with Walsingham scoring 21 not out. Reed's 165 all out didn't give them the 10 points they needed so now wickets were vital. Reed's opening attack of Kallum Ward and Tom Walsingham bowled well early on, but openers Taylor and Clark knew time was on their side. Walsingham removed Taylor for 21, but by now Clark was in full flow. He and Blunt saw Flamstead to 154 without any really alarms, but Walsingham struck again and Johnson removed Clark for 71.  Reed's relegation was confirmed not soon after as Flamstead knocked off the last 12 runs. Flamstead were confirmed as champions soon after [...]