Potters Bar III

Winning the toss on a day that promised, and in many parts of the County delivered monsoon like conditions, Reed captain Marcus Martin had no hesitation in asking the visitors to bat first. The ever reliable opening pair of Toby Fynn and Peter Tidey started in typically miserly fashion, though an early breakthrough didn’t look likely as the Potters Bar openers remained steady against the new ball. This all changed as Reed witnessed one of the more hopeful quick singles of the season, which left the young opener stranded as a combination of Peter and Tim Tidey saw the bails removed with the batsmen well short of his ground.

This only brought the visitors big hitting number 3 to the crease, and he wasted no time in exerting his authority with some eye catching and clean hitting. The batsmen at the other end were less successful, as gradually the nagging lines of Tidey and then specialist change bowler Rupert Martin (9-1-30-2) began to bare fruit. Tidey (22-5-80-4) again bowled over after over from the village end of the ground and again picked up wickets at key times as the innings progressed. The key for Reed came when Marcus Martin held on well to a ball skied into orbit from the visitors danger man. This signalled a procession of wickets as Alex Kelly (7-1-15-2) got in on the act after replacing the jaded Rupert Martin, and Reed looked to have Potters Bar on the ropes at 120-9. The final wicket paring then went about frustrating Reed, as the more recognised batsmen of the 2 went about playing some excellent cricket shots, whilst the number 11 did his best impression of England’s Cardiff heroics from the 2009 Ashes test and showed us all how to play a good forward defence. The score began to tick along nicely, and then the rain came.

An early tea was taken as puddles began to form outside, and many in the club house began glancing towards the bar as thoughts of an abandoned game became more prevalent. However after 20 minutes, the rain stopped and Reed became bathed in glorious sunshine. The delay meant that the game was reduced by 9 overs per side, leaving Potters Bar around 5 overs left to bat. These overs continued in much the same fashion as before the rain, as the visitors number 6 reached a deserved and classy half century as the overs ran out. However, a score of 179-9 in 44 overs looked more than competitive, especially as Reed would only have 38 overs to get them.

In reply, Fergus Martin and Phil Frenay started positively. They ran well and both played some decent shots early doors, but soon after Frenay was snaffled in acrobatic fashion in the gully, Ferg played on and left the hosts in a little bit of a pickle. Things only got worse as Marcus Martin came and went, adding another interesting dismissal to his repertoire of recent weeks. With the score now at 40-3, Reed looked in real trouble and the visitors sensed victory.

However Reed’s real strength this year has been the spread of runs and wickets in the team, and on this occasion it was Ed Garrott and Stuart Smith who came together to provide the rescue job. The pair batted with real purpose, and ran exceptionally well. Smith, after an early let off, showed his class as he found form with the bat for the first time in 2013 following a shoulder injury. Garrott also looked a class above, and both reached their half centuries as Reed raced towards victory. With one eye on the looming grey clouds, Garrott upped the tempo further, and began playing twenty20 style cricket as he moved around the crease and worked openings in the field. He eventually perished for a vital 71, with Smith finishing on 65 Not Out as he and Roddi Liebenberg saw Reed over the line. Reed 180-4 in just 27 overs, giving them a crucial 30 points and leaving them 2nd in the league and hot on the tails of early season pace setter Abbotts Langley.