18 points was the result of the away fixture to relegation candidates Sandridge II. The home side were desperate for points and after winning the toss the Sandridge Skipper asked Reed to bat. Paul Garrott (11) and Ben Bowles (26) had to concentrate on a pitch that had unpredictable bounce. The Sandridge opening bowlers bowled sensible making the Reed batsman work for their runs. Garrott was the first victim of the pitch, bowled by a ball that kept really low with the Reed score on 29. Bowles and Ian Fulk took the score to 55 before Bowles was caught at slip, two more quick wickets fell and Reed appeared to be in some difficulties at 80 for 4. Steve Lovegrove started to repair the innings, firstly with Fulk (24), before Fulk too fell victim to a ball that stayed low and then with Nick Green. Lovegrove was eventually out 5 runs short of his half century, but his innings had given Reed a total that they could realistically defend. Green continued to bat with some maturity ensuring Reed past the 200 mark and gain maximum batting points. He finished 43 not out and Reed ended on 204 for 9 after 53 overs.The Sandridge reply did not start well; Louis Fitzgerald striking in his first over by removing Sheperd, for a duck. After that there was little success for the Reed openers, Matt Giblin was very economical his 8 overs only conceding 16 runs, but he was unable to pick up a wicket. George Garrott replaced Giblin and he too bowled a good line and length with no reward. By now the Sandridge second wicket partnership had put on 73 runs, with Darab (56) in particular [...]

Match report to followaHaving won the toss the Reed Captain decided to bowl; Julian Fynn (14-5-2-21) and Kallum Ward (11-3-3-22) opened the bowling and made it very difficult for the Radlett openers to score and the run rate was painfully slow. Ward was the first to strike bowling Shah for 10 in his first spell before being replaced by Nick Green who returned figures of 6-0-1-24. The absence of two key, bowlers away on holiday meant Reed had to rotate the bowling. The reliable Fynn was rested after a long spell and replaced by Richard Barlow who bowled a very tidy 5 overs, picking up 1-10. The introduction of leg spinner Matthew Naeem to the bowling attack ensured Radlett were never going to post a high score. Naeem bowled a spell of 15.5 overs, picking up 3 wickets for 31 runs. Ward and Fynn returned for their second spells and finished of the last of Radlett’s resistance and the hosts were all out for 119 after 51.5 overs.In reply Paul Garrott and Richard Barlow opened the batting and patiently built a partnership of 76 before Barlow was bowled on 38. Julian Fynn (18 no) went in at three and with Garrott, who finished on 49 not out, saw Reed reach their target in 32.4 overs.Today’s comfortable 9 wicket win made it three wins in a row for the thirds and kept them in second place and with 9 games to play, a good chance of promotion.

Reed III winning run came to an abrupt halt away to a 12th placed Pirton on Saturday. Arriving with a strong team, the Reed skipper Maseeh Naeem again called the coin toss correctly and decided to the stick with the strategy that had served the thirds well over the course of the season; Insert the opposition, bowl them out cheaply and win the match. The plan appeared to be working, although the Pirton skipper Howard (33) went after the Reed opening bowlers Giblin (9-3-0-27) and Fitzgerald (9-0-2-39). Fitzgerald was unlucky not to get a wicket with his first ball when an easy chance for a catch was put down at square leg. The first change after 10 overs made a difference; Kallum Ward (11-4-3-12), who bowled with a lot of pace, along with Graham Wilson (7.4-3-2-14) returning to bowling after injury, saw the run rate slow and wickets fall. Julian Fynn (9-5-2-7) bowled with economy and picked up two wickets in his spell. Matt Naeem (5-1-1-22) supported the seamers with some spin. This allowed Fitzgerald, Ward and Wilson to return for a second spell and finish off the Pirton innings after 50.4 overs, the hosts posting a score of 146 all out. In Steve Lovegrove’s absence, Ben Bowles stood in as wicket keeper and although he did a first-rate job, Pirtons top scorer was extras, 34 being conceded by Reed.On any given Saturday Reed III would have backed themselves to chase done 146 in 49 overs. Ben Bowles, bruised and aching after his wicket keeping exploits opened with Richard Barlow and the pair made a slow but steady start. Barlow (10) was the first to depart adjudged LBW with the score on 25. Ian Fulk [...]

On a hot sunny Saturday, Reed III opened their season with a friendly against Preston in a 90 over match at Reed. The Reed Captain Maseeh Naeem won the toss and elected to bat sending in, Paul Garrott and Peter Baker to open. The Preston opening bowlers bowled a good line and length and the Reed batsman found it hard to get the ball away, Cook in particular was very economical, ending with figures of 2 – 17 of his 10 over’s. It was Hearne (10 – 1 – 25) who struck first having Garrott caught behind in the fourth over for 2 with the score on 11. Peter Baker was joined at the crease by 15 year old Matthew Naeem but the pair only managed to put on 7 runs before Baker (14) was adjudged to be out LBW to the bowling of Cook. John Kershaw (5) also met the same fate, LBW to Cook with the score on 29 after 11 over’s. Matthew Naeem was then joined by another 15 year old; Nick Green and the pair slowly started the Reed recovery. Green being the most aggressive of the pair attempted to take the attack to Preston, Naeem decided to play the anchor role, taking 37 deliveries to register his first runs. This partnership saw of the Preston opening pair and put on 70 runs before Green was bowled for 27, leaving Reed on 95 for 4 after 30 over’s. Maseeh Naeem then took up the role of aggressor with some unconventional but effective batting, before being bowled by S Balac for 41. The partnership saw Naeem Snr and Naeem Jnr put on 51 runs in 5 over’s. Alan Ward then played a [...]

Reed faced Old Elizabethians at Freman this weekend with the opposition in the top two at start of play. Reed lost the toss and were asked to bat. After last weeks fine batting achievement Will Heslam and Paul Garrott were asked to open but unfortunately Heslam could not repeat last weeks efforts and was bowled in the second over for 4. Ian Fulk and Paul Garrott then put together a slow but crucial second wicket partnership against some tight bowling taking the score to 110 before Fulk was dismissed for 62. John Heslam took to the bowling and accelerated the innings together with Graham Wilson who took over when Paul Garrott was eventually run out for 35. Wilson eventually fell short of what looked a certain half century and was caught on 40. A hat trick followed by pick of the opposition bowlers Mali seeing off Heslam for 42, Ben Bowles 0 and Nick Green also for 0. Maseeh Naeem used up the remaining overs with son Matthew. Maseeh was 40 not out and Mattew 2 not out. From 76 for 1 at half way drinks Reed had set the opposition a daunting 243 to win. The second half saw the youngsters Will Heslam and Lewis Fitzgerald open the attack and although the latter had early success as Lovegrove behind the stumps caught a good catch low down to dismiss one of the openers, the other plundered the some what wayward bowling. Heslam 7-0-62-0 was replaced by Matthew Naeem who together with another youngster Nick Green bowling spin slowed the run rate considerably. Grren eventually had the opener caught in the deep by Ben Bowles and this was swiftly followed by a good catch behind [...]

A much needed win at home to Northwood III leaves Reed III requiring four points from their two remaining games to guarantee promotion to division 9.Winning the toss the visitor’s skipper decided to bat first; the Reed opening attack of Kallum Ward (9-1-3-21) and Julian Fynn (13.2-3-3-27) was more than the Northwood openers could cope with. Ward beat the bat on numerous occasions before removing Mackey’s (4) middle stump with the score on 7. Seven runs later Karnick (3) was walking back to the changing room after Steve Lovegrove took a catch behind the stumps off of the bowling of Fynn. The score had moved very slowly to 24 when Fynn struck again bowling the hapless Dewin for 6. With the rain falling in a steady drizzle, Reed took the pace of the ball with Maseeh Naeem taking 2 for 29 in his 11 over spell and Nick Green picking up 1 for 7 in three overs. Fynn and Ward then returned to the attack to finish of the Northwood innings. The visitors limped to 113 all out in 46 overs.After a fantastic Ann Garrott tea, the cakes were seriously good, the Reed reply started with Paul Garrott and “Pinch Hitter” Ben Bowles. The score rattled along at a healthy rate and the set target never looked in doubt. Bowles hit 9 boundaries in getting his half century; Garrott played the sensible anchor role. Bowles eventually fell for 61, Northwood's only point in the match. Garrott (43n.o) and Scott Caine (8n.o) saw Reed home in the 23rd over for a convincing 9 wicket win.