In Reed’s Sunday XI fixture versus Little Hadham at Little Hadham there was a real autumnal feel to the day with dull, dampish conditions, very little warmth and longer than usual grass on the outfield owing to a puncture on the host’s mower during the week!
Despite this, Little Hadham, in old-style village cricket tradition, batted first and declared at teatime on 166 for 6. David Ellis had made 54 and Paul Elby scored 42 with all 6 wickets being shared one each by Neil Haslam, Owen Hughes, Ollie Sayers, Kieran McKinna, Ross Gardner and Toby Emes.
After the tea interval, Reed had 60 minutes plus 20 overs to reach their goal. Sadly, wickets fell cheaply to Arif and A. Singh until there was short respite while Peter Baker knocked 16 and Kieran McKinna 8. Then the Under 12 duo of Sam Osborne (15) and Ross Gardner (4) batted confidently mid-innings; (Osborne on debut in Open-Age cricket and Gardner in his second match). Skipper Rob Lankester batting at number 8 took on the challenge by scoring 48 but when he was out, (one of S. Singh’s 3 wickets), Reed required 62 runs from 5 overs. Joe Graves (18) and Ian Osborne (8 not out) battled gamefully and bolstered the total enabling Reed to hold-out for the draw, 9 wickets down, on 133.
Report submitted by PGB.
