Reed’s batsmen had little in response to Broxbourne’s opening bowler, Matt Fox’s, accurate spell of seam bowling whilst he conceded just 15 runs from 12 overs taking 3 wickets in the process. Fellow opener, Sammy Miller took 2 wickets, as did Humphries and Harvey. Richard Barlow top-scored for Reed with 16, and it was only a 22-run partnership between Owen Hughes, (11 n.o.) and Ian Roberts, (14), that took the hosts to 88 all-out.
The efficiency of Broxbourne’s approach – (there aren’t many teams in Division 8 that prepare with fielding drills before the match) – paid-off as they lost only Washer for 22, (caught by keeper, Scott Caine, off Roberts’s swingers), whilst Smith, (28 n.o.), and Scanlon, (36 n.o.), finished the job in just 17 overs. Falling woefully short of any batting points, (starting when 140 runs have been passed), and managing only to take one wicket, earning them the solitary bonus point in this match, Reed will need to bolster their strength to be able to compete against some of the bigger clubs occupying the top places of the Division later in the season.
