In the corresponding match earlier in the season, the Third XI had failed to score any batting points and took only one bowling point when Southgate Compton scuttled Reed easily and won by 9 wickets. This time at Freman Oval, Reed equalled that 1 point tally within 3 deliveries when Owen Hughes had Brandon caught by a tumbling George Garrott for a duck. The next wicket was harder to earn as Robbie Wallis (41) and Grayson added 59 before Wallis mistimed a cross-seamed slow bouncer from Kieran McKinna into the safe hands of captain, Rhodri Hughes. After a further 41 runs, Heaney (31) missed an in-ducker from George Garrott. Cameron Wallis scored fifty then was out immediately afterwards taken at mid-off by McKinna and becoming debutant, Scott Nash’s first victim. Nash had been a Reed Colt from the early nineties’ vintage, but had played his senior cricket elsewhere and then stopped playing altogether several years ago. Steve Hughes bowled economically returning 1 for 38 aided by another good catch by McKinna. They exchanged roles soon after when the eldest Hughes clung on to one that was driven almost past him, giving McKinna figures of 2 for 44. Meanwhile, the younger Hughes combined when Rhodri pouched a catch off brother Owen (2 for 48). Grayson had been batting sedately since the first over whilst all this had been going on at the opposite end but eventually fell to a third catch by McKinna off Nash’s bowling for 45 when the score was 195. The visitors rattled up more runs as the innings ended with an Owen Hughes run out off the final delivery on 226 for 9.
After the early setback of losing Paul Garrott for 2, George Garrott and PG Baker (23) took the score past fifty then Nash partnered Garrott to 85 until Garrott was caught in the deep for 43. Rhodri Hughes (17) and Nash upped the run rate but once they succumbed, (Nash tantalisingly close to a maiden Reed fifty on 48 – no doubt those aching muscles will be complaining even more come Sunday morning!), the hosts still required 75 more runs off only seven overs having just three wickets in hand. McKinna continued his individually excellent all-round performance by now hitting an undefeated 26, supported by Steve Hughes (2 not out) in a ninth wicket partnership of 23. Reed’s reply closed on 188 for 8 and earned them a relatively healthy 15 points from this encounter. Another forty runs from someone might have won them even more.
Match Report submitted by PGB.
