Reed’s Third Eleven suffered only their second loss of the season when they played away to Old Elizabethans II’s. With captain Maseeh Naeem on vacation and some late movement in the team line up, the threes went with a young side. Stand in skipper Marcus J.E. Baker and opening partner Peter Baker were stuck in traffic so Richard Barlow did the toss and won, elected to bat.
The Baker and Baker partnership did not last long as Marcus became the first victim of the poor pitch. The ball failed to rise above the ankles as Reed’s batsmen struggled. Two down, Reed looked in disarray but an essential partnership was formed between Peter Baker and Rhodri Hughes. Playing with patience the veteran, Baker, used his experience to halt the oppositions momentum. Hughes too showed impressive determination and skill as they added 70 for the third wicket. Baker’s (48) and Hughes’s (30) innings were, on that pitch, worth double and also usefully used up a good amount of overs. Scott Caine was the only other batsmen to get into double figures with a counter attacking 23. Reed were bowled all out for 141 meaning they got two bating points and considering the pitch and most of the batsmen’s inability to settle and score was at least defendable. To their credit the opposition bowlers played well, in particular I. Mali (20.3-5-48-7) who bowled a mammoth spell and the impressively rapid C. Busby (7-3-17-1) who it turned out was an Under 13.
Reed knew the conditions would be the same for both sides and backed themselves to tally up the wickets. M. Collins had initially looked threatening but ended being the first wicket to fall when Jack Caine bowled him for 8. J. Caine looked at his best as he ripped through the top three. At the other end George Garrott also gave the hosts very little width and picked up a wicket with M.J.E. Baker taking a nice stumping. Reed was in the ascendancy but S. Price and J. Smith stopped their momentum. Both played well as they started to chip away at the target. With 60 still needed S. Price (16) rashly played a loose shot giving Richard Barlow the chance to take a superb diving catch. Julian Fynn was the bowler and was in the middle of an impressive spell, all the more special considering this was his first bowl of the season. He would also remove J. Smith (43) with 40 still needed. I. Mali however ended Reed’s hopes and made sure it was his match in making a quick 39 taking his side home by 4 wickets.
Reed were naturally disappointed, but there were several positives to take from the game.
