Reed III's claimed a winning draw on Saturday in a game they should have won easily. Missing big scoring stroke player Mark King and grafter Matt Bowles, they went into the game with a belief that they could still overcome Waltham Cross III's on a baking hot summers day. Skipper Maseeh Naeem won the toss and elected to bat on Watham's artificial track, and this looked to be a bad decision when youngster William Heslam fell to a corker of a delivery that cut in a long way and removed his leg stump. Academy players Julian Fynn, George Garrott and Lewis Fitzgerald all followed in quick succession, leaving Reed on 35 for 4 and a bemused Ben Bowles at the other end contemplating an early tea. However, along with Bowles, Reed's middle and lower order were not prepared to throw in the towel. Steve Lovegrove added a useful 15, then Richard Robertson hit a swash buckling 24 before falling to a sharp caught and bowled from Lewis. Skipper Naeem then joined Bowles at the crease and the pair upped the anti, until Naeem skied one back to the loopy Wilkinson for 32. Waltham Cross though they had broken the backbone of Reeds batting, but did not account for Kallum Ward joining the now classy looking Bowles. Together they broke the record for the 8th wicket partnership with a wonderful display of batting, despatching the ball all over the field. Ward eventually fell for 59 and Bowles 93 as Reed finished on an impressive 265 declared. After tea Reed took the game to the Waltham Cross batsmen, opening bowlers Julien Fynn and Rupert Martin removed the top three batsmen in little time. Unfortunately during this spell [...]

An easy win for the thirds at home against a weak Southgate Compton team. Having won the toss the visiting captain chose to bat. At first the decision seemed the right one as their openers were scoring at four an over. However the Reed opening Bowlers Julian Fynn and young James Hooper started to find line and length and made the batsman work for their runs. Hooper was the first to strike, taking the wicket of the Compton Skipper caught at gully by John Heslam. After that wickets fell at regular intervals, Julian Fynn bowled a long spell and ended with 4 for 40 off his 14 overs and James Hooper ended with 3 for 37 of his 12. Alan Ward chipped in with 2 wickets. John Heslam showed he still has it in the field by taking two agile catches at gully. That left the visitors all out for exactly 100 after 34 over’s and 45 minutes before tea was to be taken. With a very strong Reed batting line up the target never seemed in doubt. However there was a threat of rain and Reed wanted to ensure 30 points. Mark King and John Heslam went out to bat with instructions to push the score along for the 10 overs before tea was taken. They took this literally and with some very aggressive batting finished the game in 9.4 over’s. King finished on 73 not out and Heslam on 31 not out. The visitors trudged of the field shell shocked and without a single point.

Reed travelled to North London on Saturday, knowing a win would go a long way to cementing their promotion push. Asked to bat Reed made a steady start until the out of nick Ben Bowles was castled by the youngster Ellis for 16. This brought out of nick Ian Fulk to the crease and the flight and guile of Ellwood soon put paid to his day with a crafty slower ball that Fulk completely mis-timed to square leg. George Garrott joined remaining opener Swain and the pair made light work of the bowling Garrott plundering 43 quick runs with 9 boundaries. Swain was concentrating on length of innings and batted superbly for a meaty 68. M.J.E. Baker and the out of nick Fynn then dispatched the bowling to all parts in a fine partnership, allowing Reed to declare on 196-5 with maximum batting points off just 30 over's. Adelaide faced a tricky 10 over session before tea and opening quick Archer dispatched batsmen 1 & 3 in his opening over to leave them struggling at 0-2. The out of nick Rupert Martin but  bowled tightly without ever looking like taking a wicket, so at vittles SA were 12-2. After an amazing tea, SA continued to toil, only some unbelievably poor catching by Bowles, allowed the batsmen to remain insitu. Wickets were on the horizon and a suicidal run off another tight Archer over brought the breakthrough. The out of nick Martin was now replaced by Fynn wicketless for 8 weeks, which he soon rectified with his variation straight ball. Archer then ripped through the remaining top and middle order claiming his 5th wicket for 26 off 15 immaculate over's. Chris West then wrapped up the tail to [...]

A good all round team effort, with every Reed player making a contribution with either bat, ball or in the field, led to a comfortable win on a bitterly cold day in St Albans. For a second week Reed lost the toss and OA’s captain decided to have a bowl. Ian Fulk and Steve Lovegrove started steadily; keeping the score board moving at 4 runs an over. The score was on 65 when Lovegrove was unlucky to be caught in the covers for 29. The fielder managing to deflect a drive into the air as he fell over, the ball then landed and lodged in his lap. The Reed batsman continued to score at a steady rate, even after the loss of Richard Robertson and Ian Fulk in quick succession, Fulk losing his wicket after a well constructed 51. George Garrott (16) and Julian Fynn (39) made good contributions but it was young Sam Deville who really attacked the OA bowlers. His knock of 51 not out, consisted of 7 fours and an enormous 6. Matthew Naeem, batting for the first time in the thirds, finished 23 not out. Reed declared on 236 for 5 after 45 overs. The OA’s batting proved to be stronger than their bowling, after losing one of their openers in the first over to a catch by Garrott of the bowling of Fynn, they continued to keep pace with the run rate. The Reed opening attack of Julian Fynn (6-1-14) and James Hooper (8-0-35) toiled away with little success. It was the introduction of Richard Robertson (8-2-35) and Christian Martin (6-2-34) supported by some excellent catches that brought an end to any chance of an OA’s win. The tail was [...]

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