Joe Graves (15) and Peter Baker (25) had got the ball rolling and Ross Gardner also hit 14 but Reed found themselves at a precarious 77 for 6 in the 23rd over. Batting at number 8, Stuart Smith had contented himself with scoring in singles after he had joined Lloyd Bowman (15) at the wicket, but once the last man, Rob Lankester, arrived at 122 for 9 the ball started to fly to the boundary. In the 5 overs that the pair were together, Smith and Lankester added a further 91 runs; Smith hitting 2 sixes and 2 fours in his 55 not out whilst Lankester racked-up 2 fours and 7 sixes reaching 59 not out. This stand easily broke Reed’s long-standing 10th wicket partnership record and left Reed at a more comfortable 213 for 9 after their 40 overs.
Thanks to covers over the pitch, play was able to resume after a long tea interval and heavy showers. The skippers agreed on a target of 160 in 30 overs. Knebworth Blues lost an early wicket thanks to a direct throw by Matt Yates, but Dave Baker set about the job in-hand and reached the boundary 5 times before Graham Stuart bowled him for 30. Jay (56) and Taylor (21) kept up with the required run rate until Ross Gardner (2 for 24) completed a successful debut by dismissing them both. By this time, Stuart Smith was having an extended bowling spell and claimed two wickets of his own. Yates was involved in a second run-out and eventually the visitors closed on 154 for 7 leaving Reed victors by 6 runs!
Report submitted by PGB.
