Whilst the First eleven played away to North Mymms in the Village Cup the Second eleven hosted Saracens at The Green. Captain Peter Baker won the toss and inserted the opposition.M. Ayre started aggressively plundering 28 before missing a straight one from Joe Graves (7-0-50-1) who had opened bowling up the hill. First change bowlers Dominic McOmish (6-0-23-0) and Josh Conley (6-2-17-0) then bowled well to slow the run rate as the runs dried up for R. Young (37) and V. Archer (69). Ritchie Barlow (7-0-17-1) took a wicket thanks to a Christian Martin catch and Cemal Ramadam (6-0-48-1) got one thanks Lloyd Bowman. Saracens had knocked the ball about towards the end of their innings as they finished on 221 for 3.Reeds reply started at a steady pace as Barlow and Ed Blissett set about building a good platform. Unfortunately Blissett (11) was done for by a good delivery from A. Young (8-1-13-2) with the score on 34 from 12. After the loss of another wicket Dominic McOmish joined Barlow and worked the ball around in making 10 before being bowled by Bigby (8-2-15-1). At 87 for 3 Marcus J.E. Baker came to the crease and after a tentative start began to support Barlow as he made a solid 56, he then retired to allow other batsmen to have a turn in the final 10 overs. M.J.E. Baker meanwhile remained and now with his eye in began to swing his bat as he knocked the ball about reaching his 50 in the final over before finishing on 61 not out with Joe Graves (0*) backing him up. Reed ended on 187 for 6 in this entertaining encounter.

Reed’s Transitional Second XI travelled to south Cambs on Sunday for their first fixture against Longstowe. The hosts won the toss and decided to bat and Reed captain Peter Baker used the chance to give bowling opportunities to seven of his side. Six of them were under the age of 16 and although Longstowe lost only 4 wickets in their 40-over innings, their total of 230 was not massively out-of-reach. Cemal Ramadan took 2 for 22.It would require long individual innings from three or four of Reed’s top order, but unfortunately Baker fell for 14 and the number 3 went for a duck. Ed Blissett scored 32 then Rob Willoughby hit five boundaries in his 27, but after that it became somewhat of a procession as Reed’s younger batsmen came and went and finally succumbed for just 99. Reed II lost to Longstowe by 131 runs.

The timed match between Reed and Little Hadham ended in disappointment for the young Reed side.Having been inserted Reed got off to a brisk start as Marcus J.E. Baker (22) struck several boundaries before being bowled with the total on 29. As the rain fell so did another wicket, when Rhoddri Hughes joined Ben Walker, in less than suitable conditions. Despite the persistent rain the pair worked well together, working the ball about taking Reed to 50 when the rain became too much as the players sought shelter and tea. After over an hour’s break play continued and quickly saw the fall of R. Hughes (6) and B. Walker (16) not long after. Rob Willoughby (25) and Josh Conley (17) struck powerful shots to make their runs but were out prematurely as Little Hadham looked set to dismiss Reed for a low total. Now 8 wickets down Steve Hughes rescued the Reed innings, playing in only his second match. With Joe Graves (8), playing yet another fantastic supporting effort, S. Hughes impressed in not only his shots but his focus to get Reed to a defendable total which he did before falling to an amazing catch for 26. B. Law (6-1-25-5) had done the damage for Little Hadham as Reed were bowled all out for 132.In reply the hosts ended up making easy work of Reeds total winning by 8 wickets. Mason-Smith top scored with 70 before falling LBW to Josh Conley (3-2-1-1). Earlier Rhoddri Hughes (5-0-33-1) had claimed South (7) also LBW.

Knebworth Blue visited the Reed green for a friendly, late in the 2011 season and having won the toss Knebworth elected to bat first.Reed picked up an early wicket when James Baker got both hands to one from Neil Haslam (8-2-31-1) diving to his left. Baker nearly made it two in two when he again dived for a tough one to his left, however Tom Walshingham was (7-1-30-0) was not as lucky. Kallum Ward came on and bowled Nash (29) and went on to take another two wickets finishing with 3 for 32. Josh Conley (3-0-23-1) took the only other wicket that of Isaac (99) who was caught by Dominic McOmish. Knebworth finishing on 220 for 5.McOmish then made a solid start for Reed with the bat along with fellow opener Mitchell Cooper making 75 in just 13 overs. However after the loss of Cooper for 27 Reed lost some more cheap wickets until Rob Willoughby gave some support to McOmish as he went to 50. McOmish was then stumped, as was Willoughby who had made 29 with some clean strikes of the ball. Ward (60*) and Walshingham (26*) then finished off the Reed innings with some brutal but none the less beautiful strokes, making 64 in 6 overs leaving Reed winners by 4 wickets.

Reed’s Sunday Seconds suffered a rather one sided defeat playing away in a conference fixture at Ickleford.Marcus J.E. Baker won the toss and elected to field first opening with Joe Graves (6-0-43-0) and Chris Marshall (8-0-47-3). Marshall bowled two in his opening spell, holding a tight line and consistent pace. Reed were then made to toil as Ickleford first team skipper Jenner and Dobson made a strong partnership, finding the boundary with ease whilst also taking quick singles. The young Reed side found it hard going in the heat but stuck in there and after the retirement of Jenner (102) wickets began to come easily. Dobson (91) was caught superbly by Rhodri Hughes in the slips off the bowling of Peter Baker (3-0-21-1). Hughes and C. Marshall both took wickets in their returning spells thanks to catches by Greg Marshall. M.J.E. Baker (3-0-12-1) took a returning catch that was smashed back at him, as it became clear that had it not been for Jenner and Dobson’s innings the Ickleford total would have been more competitive than the dominant 258 for 7 posted.The Reed reply had the worst possible start as the top 4 all fell for just one run between them. Rob Willoughby then played a crucial innings first supported by Jack Hart and then later Rhodri Hughes as he took Reed past 50. Willoughby then fell caught behind for 47, leaving R. Hughes to continue the fight. His distinctive style proved successful as he worked the ball about, driving and pulling the ball. However, just as he was about to take Reed to three figures R. Hughes was bowled for a fine 25. The tail soon followed as Reed finished on 110, Steve Hughes [...]

The final game to be played at the Green in the 2011 season saw visitors Greenwood Park amass 233 for the loss of only one wicket.Reeds captain Peter Baker, in his last match in that role, won the toss and inserted the opposition. Reed only started with 8 on the field with one other arriving soon after, this disadvantage led to the opening pairing of M. Baker (no relation) and M. Nawaz putting on a huge stand of 193. Nawaz (75) fell to a catch by Rob Willoughby from the bowling of Jack Hart (5-0-29-1) who had kept a good line and got the ball moving in the air. Tom Walshingham (8-1-19-0) had also bowled well but came away empty handed as M. Baker (97*) and K. Mahbubal (17*) did some late innings damage in taking the visitors to 233 from their forty overs.The daunting target soon seemed minute as openers Sean Tidey and Matt Bowles went to work in demolishing the deficit. Tidey in particular smashed the ball to all parts of the ground as he rushed past 50. In the twelfth over Reed went to 100 but also lost Tidey for a brutal 75 (11 x 4 3x 6). P. Baker then joined Bowles and continued in the chase. Bowles took up the mantle of ‘big hitter’ and blasted the ball past the fielders registering 17 fours when he fell in the 26th over for 79 with the score on 206. This left Baker (47*) and Rob Willoughby (10*) to knock of the last few runs. A fantastic victory considering Reed only had 9 players.As stated this was Peter Baker’s final match as captain for both the Sunday Seconds and Saturday fours. In [...]

Visitors Boxmoor totalled 246 for 6 largely thanks to their young opening batsman, Alex Dukes, who scored a wonderful 142. The talented, teenaged wicket-keeper / batsman passed 1000 runs for the season in this innings which was his third century of the year before Reed’s Jack Hart bowled him. Hart added a second wicket to finish with 2 for 13. Joe Graves claimed one wicket near the end but at one point earlier on, Boxmoor were in relative difficulty at 38 for 3 after Ben Walker, Neil Haslam and Greg Marshall had each taken a wicket. In fact Haslam had figures of 1 for 6.In reply, with only three players older than 16, Reed opened with the Under 15’s Captain, Tom Walsingham, and Richie Barlow, and although the former set-off confidently, he was caught off a drive to extra cover for 14 and Reed were soon in trouble at 30 for 3.Chris Marshall then buckled down to his longest innings to date and contributed 32 to the 104 runs scored whilst he was at the wicket. More wickets had fallen at the opposite end until skipper, Peter Baker, batting at number 7, started aggressively and blasted 75 taking Reed from 56 for 5 to 168 for 7 in less than 20 overs. By this time, Jack Hart was in and he looked unfazed by the Boxmoor bowlers until Dukes, (no longer keeping wicket), returned the compliment and had him LBW for 17. Now with no chance of victory, it provided the opportunity for Joe Graves to have some fun as he scored a quick fire 17 not out which included 4 fours. This brought Reed up to a respectable 202 for 9 in their 40 [...]