Reed consolidated their position at the top of the Division 8 with another emphatic win. Sandridge elected to bat having won the toss but were soon ruing that decision as Andrew Emms made the most of a wicket of uneven bounce. Aided by some smart catching Emms took 4-12 in 10 overs as Sandridge slumped to 18-5. Allsopp and Robertson kept up the pressure and skipper Heslam held 3 sharp catches. At 39-8 Sandridge looked unlikely to take the match to tea but Perrin 17 and Cropp 22 gave the total some minor respectability before Archer 2-24 and Ian Roberts 2-16 closed out the innings. Reed were never troubled when batting. Ian Fulk led the charge to the winning total and once he fell Paul Watts 22* and Chris Shorrock 18* saw Reed home to another 30 point haul. Reed II remain unbeaten this year 20 points clear at the top of the table.

Weakened by call ups to the 1st XI, Reed IIs were concerned that their batting may prove below par, and when Paul 'The Rock' Watts went for a duck in the first over concern mounted. However all the Reed batsmen rallied to the cause to eventually post the sides best total to date, 235 for 8 declared. Alan Ward led the attack with a magnificant innings of 89 and ably supported by Peter Baker 28, John Heslam 25 and Andrew Emms 24. Even after a minor collapse in the 180s the tail wagged with Jim Allsopp 19 and Ian Roberts 19 not out totally demorallising the Southgate bowling. Wazeam swung the ball throughout his 26 overs, 4 for 82 but Gary Flack took fearful punishment returning 3-136. Reed took an early wicket but Thorp 68 and Burns 38 gave Southgate a firm foundation to chase an unlikely win. At 137 for 2 the visitors were in with a good chance especailly as occasiona steady drizzle turned the ball into a soggy, slippery mess. However the introduction of Richard Robertson into the Reed attack saw the match transformed. Well supported by smart catches from Ward and Heslam, Reed fought back. Two sharp stumpings from evergreen Steve Dunn added to the pressure and Southgate slumped to 178 all out, with Robertson returning 6-26 from 8.4 overs. Reed's 30 point haul sees them stay well clear at the top of Herts League Division 8.

Hurricane Jim Allsopp Blows Away Windies Reed II's continued their relentless march toward the Division 8 title on Saurday with a 55 run defeat of closest rivals St Albans West Indians. A weakened Reed side missing skipper John Heslam and four other regulars lost the toss and were asked to bat in Caribean like conditions in North Herts. Reed got off to an inauspicious start with high scoring opener Ian Fulk caught behind in the second over of the day for a duck. He was quickly followed back to the pavillion by fellow opener Baker (15) and Ward (5) to leave the home side reeling on 30-3. A period of consoldation was required and captain for the day Bridge (21) and left hander Shorrock (20) edged Reed up to 61 off 26 overs before a mistimed cover drive saw the former joining the rest of the top order back in the hutch. The visitors started to turn the screw and another mini collapse followed with Reed crawling to 81-6. The order of the day was to bat out the remaining overs and edge towards the first batting points still some 60 runs off. Emms and Reed colt "Marvellous" Marcus Martin followed the instructions to the letter both playing patient innings and both dispatching the bad balls to the boundary. Emms eventually fell to a snorter of a delivery on seventeen, but that only inspired youngster Martin who frustrated the bowlers and built an eventual match winning innings of 40 not out. Farming the strike like a player many years his senior he, along with Reeds wagging tail pushed the score along to a credible 165 all out in 51 overs. Daya and Stapleton proving the [...]

Reed 2nd XI got off to a fine start to the Herts League Division 8 season with a 23 run win over newly promoted Totteridge II. Put into bat on a damp wicket Reed built a solid total of 199 for 9 from their 53 overs. Ian Fulk (45) and Paul Watts 920) built a solid foundation readily built upon by newcomer Matt Stevens (38) and Skipper John Heslam (28). In reply Totteridge were in trouble at 39-3, but after being badly dropped off a gentle skier Ali opened up playing some superb shots all round the ground. However the introduction of the experienced Richard Robertson into the Reed attack saw him removed LBW for 53. Totteridge collapsed to 127 for 7, but then a good stand of 45 between Presorias (24) and Hirst (37) put them back in the game. Reed however stuck to their task and eventually secured the win with 9 balls to spare.

Reed II completed a good day for the club as they secured promotion from Division Eight with a victory against 3rd placed Wormley. Wormley won the toss and chose to bat and at 89-0 after 30 overs looked set for a good total. However, once Reed made the breakthrough the game changed dramatically. Robertson bowled Cooke for 27 and next ball sent back Wormley skipper Spinks LBW for a duck. Reed bowlers had in the main failed to force a breakthrough but Robertson proved the inspired exception. In a marathon 17 spell on a hot afternoon he took 7-35 as Wormley slumped to 154 all out. In reply Reed got off to a shaky start losing Ian Fulk for a duck. However Peter Baker and Alan Ward saw Reed to 83 before Baker went for 38. Ward steered Reed closer to victory before Ben Bowles played well to finish on 35 not out and in company with Marcus Martin steered Reed to a comfortable win. Reeds 11th win in 16 league matches sees them now 52 points clear at the top of the table, and they need only 39 points from the last 3 matches to guarantee finishing as league champions.