Reed 2nd XI continued their good start to the season with a second win on the bounce. Reed were put into bat which was a surprise as the wicket looked flat and well prepared. Perhaps the home skipper knew something about his wicket that the visitors didn’t as he removed William Heslam for a duck. This brought Stuart Smith to the wicket to join Baz Curtis. Both showed their experience putting the bad ball away and moving the score along nicely. Smith had obviously been watching the 20/20 World Cup and played some extraordinary shots most of which found the boundary. Curtis was not to be outdone and had moved to a comfortable 35 when somehow managed to edge the ball into his head. After a short delay and with the skipper on the way to A&E, Richard Johnson came and went first ball. The freak injury could have easily been a blessing to the home side, but Tom Fulk came to the crease and looked in fine form. He saw Smith reach 51 before being bowled with the score on 140-3, effectively 4. Will Dobson joined Fulk and the pair built another solid partnership. Fulk raced to 50 and looked set for a ton before he was caught for 74. He hit 13x 4s and a six. The rest of the batsman all chipped in. Dobson went for 21, Phil Freney was not out on 18, along with a nice cameo from inform Sean Tidey. With Reed’s influential captain still away from the ground stand in skipper Jason Archer made the brave decision of declaring on 243-6.Reed knew the home side had some good batsmen and some early wickets would be vital. Kallum Ward [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI were held to a draw in all senses of the word against close rivals Watford Town II. Skipper Baz Curtis won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. Curtis and Fergus Martin opened the innings, but Martin went LBW with only 3 on the board. In form Ed Garrott came to the crease and continued where he left off the week before. Both played positively and found the boundary regularly. Curtis was bowled for 25 and the score on 51 from just 9 overs.Richard Johnson and Garrott put on another 40 before Johnson holded out to mid off. Garrott was now in full flow and along with Vice Captain Marcus Martin started to set about the visiting attack. Garrott showed his full range of shots off both the back and front foot and look well on the way to a hundred when he tried to sweep Shah and was adjudge LBW for an excellent 70. He had shown great concentration as the players had been on and off for some sharp showers. With the score on 154-4 with 20 overs remaining a big total looked on the card. Roddi Liebenberg joined Marin and decided the flat track was to his liking. Again both played aggressively and a mixture of solid hitting and good running pushed the score to over 200. Martin looked in very good touch and Liebenberg looking like he was pitching for the number 5 spot next week both passed 50. Lienbenberg was LBW for 61 and despite the loss of two late wickets Reed managed to post 259-7 from their 49 overs with Martin 75 not out.With rain still in the air and the wicket still playing [...]

Reed slumped to another heavy defeat that all but put paid to their promotion chances. On a good looking pitch the all conquering Ware decided to invite the home side to bat. Ware are well clear at the top of Division 6 and looked like they fancied another quick finish. When Reed were 19-4 after just 10 overs this looked on the cards. Richard Johnson and Matt Bowles had other ideas. After seeing off the the opening pair of Burrell and Salter the two batsman started to build a solid partnership.Johnson started slowly picking up the odd single with Bowles being the more aggressive. Both started to put the bad ball away and it looked like Reed might be able to pick up some valuable batting points. They had put on 58 when Johnson managed to chip one to mid off and was caught for 20. Nine runs later Bowles followed trying to hit one over the top and was again caught for 34. Just like the first 4 wickets, the last 4 didn’t add much to the total and Reed were all out for 97. Salter being the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 59.Reed were still pointless as they came out to field. Karl Ward opened the attack with Peter Tidey. Magafas left no doubt about his intentions hitting 16 off the first over. A point looked a long way off, but Ed Garrott managed a direct hit from the boundary and ran out Patel for 2, Reed were on the board. Burrell joined Magafas and he didn’t hang around either. Chris Peckett replaced Ward and managed to find the outside edge of Magafas’s bat, but by now the slip had long [...]

Reed's 2nd XI travelled to Totteridge Millhillians to open their league campaign. Surprisingly after winning the toss Totteridge decided to put the visitor into bat. Skipper Baz Curtis opening with yet another Heslam in his career at Reed, this time William, soon put bat to ball and had raced to 18 before he went for one shot too many and was LBW for 18. Despite more caution from the young opener he was deceived by a slower ball and became Low's second wicket.This brought in Richard Johnson who along with Stuart Smith showed all their experience. They put the bad ball away and with some good running took Reed from 36-2 to 92. Reed looked in control and a good total looked on the card when Smith was then unexpectedly bowled for a fine 33. Phil Freney joined Johnson and was slow to get going, but became more fluent as his innings went on. He was very unlucky to be adjusted LBW for 16. 124-4 at the half way stage wasn't too bad. Johnson passed 50 and then put the ball into the car park as he looked to take charge against the spinners. An good piece of fielding put paid to Karl Ward who was run out for 6. Johnson then tried to put the ball back into the car park, but we well caught by a diving catch in the deep.Suddenly it was 160-6 and the maximum batting points of 200 looked a long way off, despite their being 17 overs to go. Suddenly it was 166-8 and Reed were in deep trouble. Youngsters Mitchell Cooper and Jack Tidey showed experience beyond their years and slowly but surely got Reed closer to that [...]

Reed visited St. Margaretsbury last Saturday and promenaded another strong side. Baz Curtis won the toss and had no hesitation to bat even though the wicket looked a tad green. Reed lost both openers quickly and only had 18 on the board. Richard Johnson and the effective Stuart Smith got Reed back on track with some attacking strokes. With a short boundary on one side and a quick outfield runs came at a lively pace. Johnson was bowled for an excellent 39 by the consistent Bentley. Marcus Martin joined Smith and with some much better running than in recent games continue to pile on the runs.The score had reached 156 when Smith fell for 58. He was Bentley’s 3rd wicket in a marathon spell of 23 overs. A fine effort in the heat. When Martin was bowled for 40, Reed were 175-5 with 13 overs left. It was obvious that Reed would need as many overs as possible to get a result, but would also need to post a challenging total for the home side. Roddi Liebenberg and Will Clarke set about this task with aplomb. With some good running and some attacking shots they motored along. The pair put on 65 in 9 overs. Clarke hitting well down the ground and over the top of the infield and Liebenberg timing the ball nicely and also hitting the innings only 6. Curtis decided to declare with 240-5 on the board. This gave the home side 51 over to get 241.Reed knew early wickets would put St. Margaretsbury on the back foot, equally a good start from the batting side might make the declaration generous. Despite Will Clarke removing Pedder for 14, Reed were not bowling [...]

Reed's 2nd XI got their first win of the league season in an amazing game held at The Green. Skipper Baz Curtis won the toss and decided to bat first despite the damp wicket. This looked a bad decision when both openers were back in the pavilion with the score on just 13. Richard Johnson joined inform Mark King and looked to steady the ship and things started to look a bit more positive until Johnson went for 13 with the score on 45. King continued to dominate punishing anything lose. He was dismissed for 44 including 8x 4s. At 69-5 a win let alone a target to bowl out look out of the question and when 2 more wickets feel quickly it looked like Reed might be frozen out of the points all together. At 89-7 Sean Tidey came to the crease to join older brother Jack. Both showed great patience and slow began to settle in. They finally saw off Murphy who had taken 6 of the 7 wickets to fall. Sandridge's second string attack were much more to Reed's liking. Both batsman began to find the boundary regularly and as the visitors got cold and colder the young pair took full advantage. Both reached their 50s and by now Reed looked like they might have a decent total to bowl at. The pair put on 40 in their first 10 overs together and 61 in the second 10. Reed were on the brink off maximum batting points. Sean became more aggressive and hit the only six of the match straight over the bowlers head. Sean could sense a declaration coming and tried his best to reach his maiden league ton, but was [...]

Reed were trying to put two disappointing draws behind them as they travelled to Rickmansworth II. Skipper Baz Curtis again won the toss and had no hesitation to bat on a wicket that look white and full of runs. Within 2 hours he was proved right, but unfortunately for 3 out of top 4 it had no runs in it for them at all. Curtis himself being the first duck of the day quickly followed by William Heslam and Richard Johnson. At 9-3 and 57-5 it looked like a terror track thanks to a fine opening spell from the home sides skipper. Andy Milner taking 4-28 from 9 over at one stage. Fergus Martin and old brother Marcus tried to steady the ship and managed to see some shine of the new ball, but both feel to good catches when looking set.This brought together a mixture of youth and experience. William Clarke was the experience and Sean Tidey was the youth. Tidey had been in this situation before this season and again managed to repeat his heroics. Both to a shine to Rickmansworth second string and started to find the boundary at regular intervals. Tidey soon outscored his seniour partner and the first to his 50 with 6x 4s and 2 big sixes in that 50. It wasn’t all big hitting and some excellent running kept the board ticking over. Tidey finally went for an excellent 86 when a ton looked their for the taking. The pair had put on 153 for the 6th wicket. It was now just a matter of how many overs Reed wanted to give the home side. Clarke was now in full flow and decided it was time to try [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI got another 30 points over the weekend. Reed lost the toss and were not surprised to find themselves asked to field. Reed’s opening attack knew that a good line and length on the flat track would be vital and duly delivered. Peter Tidey and Kallum Ward conceded just 63 runs between them in the 31 overs they bowled. Tidey bowled a marathon spell of 21 over taking 3-36. Ward came back to remove the stubborn last pair and finished with 3-27. They were well supported by Mitchell Cooper who took 2-28 and Jason Archer 2-19.Reed had looked in total control through out their time in the field. Preston had collapsed to 48-5 and then 81-8, but as so often happens those last 2 wickets are hard to get. Harrington for Preston supplied some resistance for the visitors with a very patient 27. He and Connah, the Preston number 10 put on 37 for the 9th wicket before Ward had him caught by Cooper at midwicket. Connah continued playing his shots and had moved to an excellent 33 before being yorked by Ward. This left Preston 138 all out.Reed’s reply didn’t start too well with skipper Baz Curtis playing on for 2 and Fergus Martin lbw for 3. At 11-2 it seemed 138 might be a challenge. In form Richard Johnson has other ideas. He and William Heslam put on 53 for the 3rd wicket before Heslam was caught for 11. Karl Ward then joined Johnson. Ward smashed the newly taken new ball to all part in a very quick 26 before going for one shot too many and being bowled for 26. It was now 94-4, but still looked like a comfortable [...]

Reed’s 2nd XI were looking to get back to winning ways after a disappointing display the week before. On a gorgeous day that couldn’t have been more different from the rain the week before, skipper Baz Curtis lost the toss and was asked to failed by the Potters Bar III XI captain. It looked a good decision by the visitors as they raced to 30. Wicketkeeper Sean Tidey was in cracking form and looked to have made the break through when he took a fine leg side stumping chance only to have the appeal turned down. He was soon in action again, but this time their was no doubt. He dived in front of first slip to a ball that wouldn’t have carried and took a fine one handed catch off the bowling of Mitchell Cooper. Cooper then struck again, this time finding the edge of the visiting skipper bat who was well held by Curtis at slip.Not to be outdone by his nephew, Uncle Pete Tidey removed Titans for 11 help by a fine catch from Roddi Liebenberg at mid weekend. He then held a sharp caught and bowled chance to leave the visitors realing. Kumar came into bat and decided that the best place for the ball was anywhere the other side of the boundary. Reed held their nerve and Tidey took the last of his 3 wickets bowling him for 35. Tidey bowling in unison with Jason Archer made runs hard to come by and the run rate slowed to a crawl. Archer not to be outdone by his fellow bowlers also took picked up 3 wickets. Cooper came back to replace the flagging Archer to pick up his 3rd wickets and [...]

Reed had another unhappy league outing this time against Old Cholmeleians. This was a game that the 2nd XI need to pick up some good point, but the failed to deliver. Baz Curtis again won the toss and elected to field first hoping a slightly damp wicket would help his bowlers. Reed got off to a lacklustre start and gave the visiting openers plenty for balls to hit. This they did and took full advantage. Peter Tidey replace Chris Peckett at the McMeekin House end and got the breakthrough that was needed. He then had Whitbrow stumped with some excellent glove work from Sean Tidey.From here on in the came went one way then the other. Tidey ripped through the Old Cholmeleians top order taking another 3 wickets. The visitors going from 60-0 to 75-5. Suddenly the Reed bowlers were getting the ball to do all sorts of the pitch and getting some swing as well. Then came the rain. A short break was followed by three more balls being bowled, then another shower saw the players off for 50 minutes. Chris Peckett struck shortly after the game restarted and Reed looked in total control. O’Brien and Schlogram had other ideas and took advantage of a more placid wicket. A mixture of good stroke play and running saw them move the score an to a total that looked like it could be a real challenge. Peckett managed to get one past Schlogram’s defences and he was out for 39. Tidey picked up his 6th wicket again thanks to some fine glove work from the younger Tidey. O’Brien was the last man to be out held well in the deep by Matt Bowles and giving Peckett [...]