Reed travelled to Welwyn Garden City’s Knightsfield Park on Sunday in third Eastern Group 20/20 County Cup match. Winning the toss skipper Jack Tidey had no hesitation in electing to bat on what looked a good batting strip. Will Heslam fell for 8 in the second over but Reed were accumulating runs at next to 8 an over. Despite losing both Stuart Smith (13) and Sean Tidey (6) the side were well placed for a good score at 45 for 3 after the first six overs.
Sam Fairbrother and Tom Greaves then set about building a partnership with some good boundary hitting and quickly taken singles. Fairbrother was the first to go to a lbw decision after making 28 from 22 balls, Michael Robertson soon followed and Reed were 76 for 5 in the 11th over. Mitchell Cooper then joined Greaves and they took the score over three figures, Greaves went for a 35 ball 37. Skipper Tidey then came to the crease and he and Cooper took Reed to the last over, Cooper being stumped for a run a ball 28 including four sixes, Tidey was 16 not out at the close. Reed’s final total was 142 for 8. Mercer the pick of The WGC bowlers with 2-0-14-2.
In reply Reed opened the bowling with Tom Walsingham (4-0-14-1) and Karl Ward (4-0-15-3), good discipline from both dried up most of the scoring for WGC runs, their skipper Chalker fell to a deep catch by Jack Caine off of Ward, fellow opener Byford went in the next over to a superb caught and bowled from Walsingham, 17 for 2. Ward then removed two batsmen in his next over and WGC were 21 for 4. Mottershead and Nolan tried to steady the ship but once Nolan fell to Jack Caine, Greenal three balls later also the accurate bowling of Caine and Mottershead to a fine outfield catch from Walsingham, off of Greaves WGC were 50 for 7 and the game was virtually over as a contest by the 11th over. Caine 4-0-23-2 and Greaves 4-0-23-2 stopped any hint of a fightback and although WGC batted there 20 overs they could only make 111 for 8. Russell with a 29 ball 39 batting at number eight showed the top order how they probably should have played. Reed’s last Group Match is against Stevenage in a few weeks time.
