The 2nd XI fought back superbly to win their latest Division 7 match by 5 wickets. Having lost the toss, the visitors were asked to bowl first. Peter Tidey and Marcus Martin opened up, but they had answer to Jo Patel who hit the ball to all parts of the ground. Reed dropped him 4 times, but none of the chances were sitters and by the 20th over the home side were dominant with the score 104-0. By drinks it was 133-1 with Alex Kelly having made the only breakthrough. It looked like Reed could have been chasing at least 250. In the 34th over Toby Fynn who had replaced Tidey made the breakthrough that Reed desperately needed. He bowled Patel for 110.
Still the home side still have 19 overs to go and with only 34 needed for full batting points it looked like they would step on the case and really put Reed on the back foot. Tidey back to replace Fynn who took 1-27 from his 7 overs and along with Kelly applied the breaks. Tidey bowled Jasmin for 28 and suddenly it was 179-4. Still not good, but maybe it would be less than 250 after all. Kelly was now in full swing. He picked up 4 quick wickets helped by some smart glove work from Tim Tidey. Brother Peter joined in at the other end and between them restricted the remaining 6 batsman to 23 runs in 12 overs and bowling the home side out for 189. Kelly finished with 5-49 from 15 overs and Tidey 4-53 from 15.2
Reed knew the job was only half done and a good start was vital. Baz Curtis and Phil Freney put the bad ball away and had put on a fifty partnership before Curtis was caught behind for 29. Reed lost two quick wickets when the score was on 63, but Richard Johnson and Freney steadied the ship and made sure their was no repeat of the batting collapses of last season. Freney was caught in the deep for 32 when the score was on 108. Roddi Liebenberg joined Johnson and they put a on a quick 20 before Liebenberg was caught by Patel for a quick 15. Fynn joined Johnson and the pair never really looked in an trouble. Fynn smashed 6 4s in his 30 not out, but Johnson reached a well deserved 50 and was 52 not out at the end as Reed ran out 5 wicket winners.
