As the new captain of Reed’s Third eleven Marcus J.E. Baker saw the path to success coming through an improvement in the fielding and spirit of the team. An opening fixture against West Herts was the first opportunity to set the new standards.
Baker had won the toss and decided to bat first, with the experienced opening pair of Paul Garrott and Robert Willoughby. Both made a vigilant start when Willoughby was caught and bowled for 17. Owen Hughes joined Garrott and immediately looked at ease. Garrott meanwhile was carving out a crucial knock and looked set for a half century when he was lost, caught for 43. Baker then came to crease and scored freely. They had put on 50 for the fourth wicket when Baker (33) was bowled.
Hughes’s patient and diligent innings ended soon after for 33. The remaining Reed batsmen each made contributions but not enough to get Reed to 200 with the innings ending all out for 161.
Reed’s opening bowlers suffered poor luck. Hughes and Joe Graves both gave maximum effort but things just went against them. Eventually Joe Graves (2-18) made the breakthrough. He then struck again and Matt Yates, replacing Hughes, took the third wicket. The momentum was with Reed. But young county player Brady (45) and King (27) took West Herts to within twenty runs of victory when Willoughby bowled King. The eagerness of the hosts to finish the game quickly was costing them their wickets as Reed sensed an upset as the wickets fell in quick succession.
It was here that the aspects that M.J.E. Baker wanted his team to target, team spirit and fielding were focused on. The young side was as one and showed a lot of grit. However, there were just not enough runs in the end as West Herts won by 3 wickets. Despite the loss Baker knows that this will be season where Reed will be competitive and show a lot of fight.
Report submitted by MJEB.
