For the third week running Reed was involved in a close match and this time they fell just short.
With 6 needed and two batters set, they lost the last 3 wickets in 4 balls to slip agonisingly to defeat against the league leaders, Old Owens. However, at tea, with the score on 64 for 6 victory seemed a distant prospect until Mitchell Cooper (35) was joined first by Bertie Scott (25) and then Rob Lankester (19) doubling the score with aggressive stroke play. What was more remarkable, Lankester was a late replacement as he was still suffering from the thumb he broke over a month ago at Dunstable. What’s more he hit the spinner over his head for two straight sixes! Yet just as an unlikely win was on the cards, he fell followed by Cooper and Julien Fynn to give Owens a 5 run victory.
Earlier, Reed bowled well as Zac McGuigan sent back the first four Owens’ batters for 40 runs with Scott (9-5-19-4) and Skipper, Tom Greaves, (2-24) mopping up the tail. Even then Old Owens felt confident that 133 was enough, but Reed’s middle order so nearly proved them wrong.
A disappointing end to a fine fighting display against a top bowling outfit.
Match Report submitted by Peter Wholley.
