Reed batted first on a very damp Freeman wicket. Peter Baker and Paul Garrott got the Reed innings off to a steady start with Baker punishing the bad ball especially well. Garrott fell for 6, and Baker was joined by Rhodri Hughes who played well for his 32 runs. Baker was adjudged run out, for a well compiled innings of 36 when he looked to be home safely. John Kershaw came to the crease and played in his usual manner, flaying any short ball to the boundary. Nobody else really got going though and the steady Wheathampstead bowling attack never let the Reed batsmen get away and after Reed had batted for 47 over’s a score of 140-8 seemed to be about 30 runs light on a drying pitch. The pick of the bowlers being Z.Ahmed who took 4 wkts for 5 runs.
In reply the Wheathampstead batsmen looked to have no answer to the young opening reed attack and at 30 for 4 then 48 for 5 Reed seemed to have a strangle hold on the game. But Joe Graves and Jack Childs only being able to bowl 7 overs and 6 overs respectively in that opening spell because of age restrictions, the initiative seemed to swing back towards the batsmen. Although all the Reed bowlers performed admirably they did not take another wkt. Tashin 41 no and Robbins 42 no managed to thwart the bowlers, picking up singles, and the odd boundary on their way to a 5 wkt victory which was achieved in the 40th over.
