Phil Lill scored his 3rd half-century in successive innings in the friendly match against the touring Garboldisham side on Tuesday. His 64 followed knocks of 50 not out on Saturday and 80 on Sunday. Teenagers Rob Lankester and Jack Caine also passed fifty as Reed successfully overhauled the 212 that Garboldisham had amassed in their 35 overs. PGB
Wickets fell in a tumble soon after tea which was taken as the 1st XI were in a comfortable position chasing Langleybury’s 235 all-out, Phil Lill bagging 5 wickets. Eventually Reed recovered to end on 207 for 8 with a half-century for James Heslam and another for Phil Lill who put-in a good all-round performance. This places them 5th in the Championship. The Seconds notched-up another victory at Cockfosters winning by 4 wickets. Set 156, Richard Johnson scored 71 in Reed’s run-chase after Jack Caine and Alex Kelly had taken 3 wickets apiece in the first innings. Reed are in second place only 2 points behind the Division 5B leaders, Old Cholmeleians, whom they play next week. Hertford scored 200 for 8 against the Thirds who in this match format managed a draw by reaching 157 for 8 in reply. Meanwhile, the Fourths had a cracking win at Freman College. Jack Childs had taken 3 of Stevenage’s wickets in their 222 for 8, but unused to the quick-paced outfield at the Freman Oval, Stevenage’s fielders were unable to stop Bill Mansfield hitting 80 not out as he led the charge. Reed won with 4 wickets and 6 overs to spare. Now halfway through their slightly shortened league season, Reed are top of their Division and remain unbeaten. Phil Lill rounded-off a good personal weekend by hitting 80 in the Sunday friendly at home versus Guilden Morden. Unfortunately, Reed managed only 166 in total and fell 45 runs short. Expect match reports to follow soon. PGB
The Quarter-Finals of the Herts County 20/20 Cup will take place on Sunday 5th July, (home side listed first): Stevenage versus Letchworth. Reed versus Hertford. North Mymms versus Bishop's Stortford. Hoddesdon versus Sawbridgeworth. The Semi-Finals and the Final will be held on Sunday 19th July. PGB
On a successive Saturday when the rain interfered with the Herts League programme, (91 matches cancelled and 2 more conceded), it was amazing that all four of Reed's teams not only played their matches to a conclusion, but all four XIs won their respective battles. A full 120 Points! Chorleywood's 150 all-out was never enough as Reed 1sts won by 5 wickets in only 29 overs. At home, the Seconds were set a target of 205 by Hoddesdon, which they knocked off in the 33rd over losing only 3 wickets in the process. The Thirds were away to Potters Bar. The hosts were routed for just 67 and with rain threatening Baz Curtis led the reply with 38 not out as Reed won by 9 wickets, using only 11 overs in their run-chase. In a very high-scoring match at Freman College, Reed IVths batted throughout persistent drizzle and amassed 318 for 3 in only 37 overs, centuries for Zac Conley and Pete Baker. Hertford's reply was 240 all-out at 6 runs per over leaving Reed Fourth XI victorious by 78 runs. They remain unbeaten in the League and in top position in their Division. Another of the younger brigade joined the ranks of the centurions on Sunday as Rob Lankester scored a marvellous 122 not out in the friendly against Preston. Played on the Green, Reed totalled 247 for 6 and had Preston all-out for 118, Graham Stuart took 3 wickets. Expect Match Reports to follow shortly. PGB
Don't have wasted journeys. Cokenach could not raise a side and consequently have conceded Reed's last round-robin fixture in this season's Keatley Cup competition on Wednesday 17th June. News of the finalists to follow when known. This coming Sunday, 21st June, Totteridge Millhillians have conceded to Reed in the Reader's County 20/20 Cup. This leaves Reed unbeaten at the top of Group B and qualifying for the Quarter Finals where they are scheduled to play Hertford, the Runners-Up of Group D, on Sunday 5th July. The Sunday Friendly fixture versus Preston on the 21st June has now been switched from the Freman Oval to Reed Village Green. PGB
Cricket Report: National Village Cup Competition. Herts and Beds Final. Lord's hopes dashed as Reed are knocked out of Village Cup in Area Final after last over drama. Reed Cricket Club hosted Langleybury in the area final of The National Village Competition on Sunday June 14th 2015. Reed suffered from injuries and unavailability and gave a number of youngsters a chance to prove their worth in this important game in front of a good crowd. Langleybury won the toss and chose to bat on a damp overcast day on a wicket that had been covered for the past two days. Runs were not easy to come by for Reed and they lost regular wickets after an opening partnership of 43 off eleven overs between James Heslam and Mitchell Cooper. In the next eleven overs Reed lost Cooper, Jackson, Greaves and Smith for 50 runs and looked to be in trouble. However the dangerous Sean Tidey joined James Heslam and scored 25 in a partnership of 28 with Heslam. However with the loss of Tidey and then Heslam for a fine 66 the Reed innings lost momentum and Reed were bowled out in 37.3 overs for 156 leaving Langleybury to chase a target thought to be at least 50 runs below par. Tom Walsingham opened the bowling for Reed and was immediately successful, bowling Manzor for 3 and bowling his first 5 overs for only 8 runs. However, Amin and W.Oxley then settled and took the score to 73 for 1 after 17 overs. A Langleybury victory seemed a formality. Nevertheless, spinners Tom Greaves (9-0-28-1) and Reece Fitzgerald (9-0-29-2) then put the brakes on and Reed looked to be back in the hunt. Karl Ward (6.4-0-25-1) [...]
All four matches involving Reed teams were cancelled on Saturday because of the rain. In fact the rain was so persistent and widespread that of the 128 scheduled fixtures in the entire Herts League, only 60 were completed. It did not get any better on Sunday when the First XI lost their Village Cup tie at home to Langleybury. James Heslam top-scored with a sixty but Reed were all-out for 156, then Langleybury won with just one ball remaining having lost 9 wickets in the process. The Sunday Seconds hosted Hertford at Freman College. The visitors set a target of 256, but Reed managed only 179 in reply. Rob Willoughby scored 59. Expect match reports to follow soon. PGB
3 wins out of 4 on Saturday in the Herts League. Undefeated Chris Jackson reached the 60s as the Firsts were all-out for 186 but that was enough to defend as Flitwick managed only 118 in reply. 3 wickets for Phil Lill. The Seconds at home to Luton Town & Indians scored 221 with more runs from the two Marcuses, Martin & Baker. Reece Fitzgerald took 3 wickets as the visitors lost by 38 runs. Lloyd Bowman's Fourth XI continued their successful campaign leaving them clear leaders at the top of Regional Division C East. Rhoddri Hughes and Zac Conley were again in the runs as they overhauled Welwyn Garden City's 149 with 6 wickets intact. Bowling honours were shared around. Wickets tumbled too quickly for the Thirds to make any headway as they were shot out for 88 by St Albans who then knocked-off the required runs losing only 1 wicket in the process. Much like the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, Reed's Thirds went home with only "Un Point"! Sunday's Friendly against Outlaws saw a Reed's youngsters put-up a valiant response to 253 for 9 with 230 for 6. Toby Emes took 4 wickets and an undefeated fifty for Tom Walsingham. In last Wednesday's Keatley Cup match against Royston, Reed rattled-up 137 for 7 in their 16 overs, (Sean Tidey 33), and Royston's innings ended on 82 for 7. Reed won by 55 runs. Expect Match Report to follow soon. PGB
The National Cricket Playing Survey 2015 offers players from the age of 14 upwards the chance to have their say and influence the future of cricket at grassroots level. More than 50,000 current and former players from England and Wales have responded to the survey over the past years. ECB, County Cricket Boards, Leagues and Clubs continue to act on your feedback, introducing new formats, different start times, new rules, shorter travel distances to matches and greater opportunities for disabled cricketers, South Asian and British Asian players, women and young players to play the game. It will take less time than a cricket tea to tell us who you play for, what you love about the game and how best we can improve your experience of our sport. By completing the survey you will have the chance to be entered into a prize draw to win prizes including include signed merchandise and pairs of tickets to Investec Ashes Tests and Royal London England v Australia ODIs. Go to ecb.co.uk/survey Circulated on behalf of the ECB and Herts County Cricket Association.
Only 3 days to D-Day when it will be that time of the year to wear those long-discarded "designer-shirts" you wish you had never acquired let alone ever been seen wearing. So, search your wardrobes, drawers, lofts or sheds or pop-in to the charity shops to discover those oh-so once fashionable items of clothing that would have set you apart from your mates! Obligatory!!! Saturday evening, 6th June, after victories have been achieved by all four Teams. If you consider this an added attraction, the Champions' League Football should be on the TV too. PGB, (Man at C&A).