Reed 2s got back to winning ways after beating Stevenage 2s in a high scoring, rain reduced game at The Green, owing a significant debt to groundsman Richard Robertson in the process for working wonders to get the game on.
Reed skipper Ed Garrott lost the toss and his side were asked to bat in a reduced 40 overs per side game. They lost Richard Barlow early, and despite some lovely shots, Richard Johnson also fell for 28 to leave Reed 57 for 2. Chris Jackson (27) and James Sandford (42) both batted well for Reed and took the score to 130 for 4 before Garrott and Rob Willoughby (16) then set about upping the pace. Garrott batted sublimely as he reached an unbeaten 50 as the score progressed towards 200.
However the Reed innings got its real injection of pace when Mitchell Cooper came to the crease. He hit a swashbuckling 56 not out off of just 20 balls, including 6 “maximums”. Cooper’s assault was brutal and gave Reed a daunting total of 248 for 4 in their 40 overs.
Cooper (5-0-21-1) then took the new ball and snared an early Stevenage wicket, but the visitors continued to play their shots and kept up well with the rate. The introduction of Alex Kelly (8-1-49-2) did get Reed a couple of crucial breakthroughs but Stevenage continued to amass runs as they progressed towards 150.
However the spin of Garrott (6-1-30-1) and Matt Bowles (7-0-32-2) and an excellent Richard Barlow run out was the key to halting the progress of Stevenage as they eventually fell 36 runs short, on 212 for 8. Reed sit second equal, 5 points off the leaders.
Match Report submitted by Matthew Bowles.
