Reeds Cricket Academy, came into fruition again this weekend as youngster Tom Fulk continued his blistering weekend form, cracking a chanceless 107, which followed his maiden league fifty on Saturday. Skipper Archer won the toss and elected to bat on another "Robbo's Road" of a wicket at Reed. His decision was well and truly rubber stamped by openers Fulk and veteran Roger Bocock, as the blend of youth and experience made light work of the North Mymms attack. The pair put on over a hundred for the first wicket until Bocock fell for a hard hiting 35. Fulk, joined by Ed Blissett then accelerated the run rate, scoring his second fifty of the game in around 20 balls, before being decieved by Ridge's slower ball. Blissett hung around and was left undefeated on 30 as Reed declared on 201-4. Mohammed 1-44 and Kieran Ward 1-15 - another Reed youngster guesting for the opposition- the pick of the North Mymms attack. Skipper Archer Reed's leading wicket taker this season held himself back, choosing to let more of Reeds colts grab the headlines. Pacemen Rupert Martin (1-26) and Karl Ward (3-16) repayed their skipper's confidence in spades producing an accurate probing spell of bowling which never allowed the NM's openers to gain a foothold. Archer (3-23) and Reed legend Clive Collins (1-24) then boke the back of the innings Archer removing dangerman Mohammed for 46. This allowed Archer to return to his youth policy, with Marcus Martin (2-9) and Ward returning to mop up the tail, dismissing North Mymms for just 96. Archer remarked "after another 60 point weekend in the league with both Is and IIs top of their leagues it was nice to let the [...]

On Sunday Reed II entertained Titanic from Hertford. Batting first Reed reached 193 for 7 in their alloted 40 overs.Opener Peter Baker scored 42 but Marcus Martin top scored with another good knock of 83 not out.Partnered by James Radmore 37 they put on 83 for the 5th wicket. In reply Titanic were 131 all out.Marcus Martin rounded off an excellent aftenoon as he took 2 for 11 in four overs, ran out two players and held a catch. David Johnson took the last 3 wickets finishing with 3 for 9, Paul Watts, Marcus Baker and James Radmore chipped with a wicket each.

The Reed Sunday XI tasted defeat for the first time since late June at the weekend, but skipper Archer gained solace from the fact that major contributions from two Reed starlets were major factors in the defeat. Opponents Thurrock & Thames drafted in Reed first teamers Stuart Smith & James Heslam to bolster their 9 man squad on arrival at The Green. Winning the toss and deciding to bat the visitors made an inauspicious start to their innings losing Clark in the first over to Allsopp (1-48). This early success only brought captain Scott Poskitt to the wicket and he along with Smith proceeded to take apart Reed's openers Allsopp and Roberts, forming a century partnership in rapid time before Archer (3-42) brought himself on to end the party, bowling Poskitt for 54. This brought Heslam to the wicket and not for the first time this season he was undone by poor shot selection attempting a "big" shot against an Archer delivery which he found just a bit too quick. Smith was never in any bother hardly ever playing across the line of the ball he stroked his way to a text book 86, before again he was outdone by the raw speed of Archer. With Clive Collins' cunning flight and guile slowing down the run rate at the Village End, Reed hoped to contain T&T to a "getable" target, but Hathaway had other ideas as he creamed a rapid 48 to see the innings to a close with the score a mammoth 252-6 off the allotted 40 overs. With such a huge target to chase Reed opened with big hitting Roger Bowcock and class act Tom Fulk. Fulk started well but Bowcock's touch deserted [...]

Reed traveled to Thorley. After some great bowling from own stalwarts Clive Collins (4 for 22 from 8 overs) and Richard Robertson (2 for 2 off 6 overs) saw Reed bowl the opposition out for 124. Reed Captain Simon Jackson took the game to Thorley with the bat, cracking is 1st half century of the season, before being caught in the deep with Reed nearing their target. However Ed Blissett saw Reed through with a solid 32 and a 5 wicket victory.

In a 40 over a side game on Sunday Reed played host to Therfield. Therfield won the toss and elected to bat. They got off to a good start with father and son partnership of Matt and Ken Ayre putting on 108 for the first wicket. However, once Matt was out for 66 wickets fell consistently leaving Reed chasing a target of just 167 to win. The wicket takers for Reed being Heslam and the impressive Tufton with two a piece. In reply Reed never really got going and lost wickets at regular intervals. However at 73-3 and 93-4 they looked well set never requiring more than 4 and a half an over. Eventually though the frequency of wickets falling told with the home side gradually losing momentum to their innings which closed on 120 in the 38th over. Clarke(23) Blissett(26) and M.Robertson(21) all made starts. Chris Ward took 5-28 for Therfield.

St. Margaretsbury win by 1 wicket It was a David and Goliath fixture, as Herts Division 3 Reed faced full strength and 2nd placed Premier league St. Margaretsbury "the equivalent of an Arsenal v. Cambridge United football clash" in the National Village Cup semi finals on Sunday. However, despite their sporting supremacy, St. Margaretsbury almost left with egg on their faces as they narrowly scraped an embarrassing 1 wicket victory on the final ball of the game, thanks to a nail-biting 24 carat performance by the local lads. Winning the toss, St.Margaretsbury elected to bowl on a damp pitch offering considerable seam movement. Yet the conditions and technically superior bowling failed to faze Baz Curtis (22) and James Heslam (24), whose magnificent timing, seeing Reed to a solid 41 run start. Chris Jackson followed up Curtis' role as he grafted a patient 27 with Richard Jerome (42), and wicket-keeper Stuart Smith, fresh from a useful League knock on Saturday, smashed an imperious 33, including a blistering hooked 4 and 6. Left armed spinner, M.Fisher (8-0-37-4), was clearly the pick of the St. Margaretsbury bowlers. Following a temporary shower, Reed registered a challenging 165 for 8 wickets in their 40 overs. Reed&Mac226;s reply shocked St. Margaretsbury as William Clarke (9-4-16-1) was taken for a mere 15 runs in his opening 7 overs, and Michael Berks' (9-3-40-1) made an early breakthrough by frustrating B.Wallis (5) into playing a rash stroke to mid-on. Despite being smashed for 10 in his first over by N.J.Anstead (21), Peter Tidey (9-0-60-3) came up trumps in conjunction with Smith who took a sharp catch and stumping opportunity to remove their highest run-scorer, T.Quirk (37). Clarke finished off his final two overs at [...]

Reed continued their fine start to the season when they beat South Loughton at the green on Sunday. Batting first, reed scored 244 for 5, aided by two fine knocks by Richard Jerome (106) and Stuart Smith (70). South Loughton were never in the chase and finished some 70 runs short of Reeds total (174-6).

Another extraordinary match took place on Sunday at Reed, as they entertained wandering side Saracens, which consisted of 6 Division 4 Holtwhites Trinibis League players. The game ended in an unlikely low scoring tie. Batting first, Reed began solidly reaching 47-1, as William Clarke (15) and Roger Bowcock (21) managed to successfully manage Australian opener Morgan (12-3-25-3) early on, who bowled with good pace and venom. But it was the father and son A and M Bigby combination which made the real inroads as they took 5 wickets between them. Struggling, following a middle order collapse of 67-6, 1XI opener Tom Fulk (47) and Tim Martin (15) managed to steady the ship. With some late runs by 2XI League bowler Jason Archer (17) at number 10, Reed limped to what appeared to be an uncompetitive 157 all out off 46 overs on a batting friendly wicket. However, Archer (18-6-43-1) got off to a dream start as he bowled his first 8 over spell for 8 runs, and some excellent bowling from u17 Cambridgeshire fast bowler Rupert Martin (8-3-25-0) ensured that Saracens began very slowly indeed. Yet without a breakthrough, the total was always attainable. Skipper, Clarke (10-2-34-2), brought himself on and managed to force the breakthrough as he bowled D.Owen third ball. Yet this brought P.Micallett (68) to the middle, who in conjunction with Peter Morley (43*), pushed the score to 20 short of the total, with ease. Yet Reed always felt that they had a chance to drawing the game if the could snatch a couple of wickets. It eventually came, when Clarke brought himself back on up the hill. Micallett, attempting a hook stroke after the field had been pulled in saving one, [...]

President's Day 2002 - Report

Reed Transition team chalked up another victory beating Over by 8 wickets,their colts once again performing with bat and ball.Batting first Over were all out for 55 in the 21st over.Wickets evenly shared Karl Ward 3-5,Marcus Martin 2-13,Marcus Baker 2-12,David Johnson 2-18. Reed then knocked the runs off in less than eight overs Karl Ward 27 not our ,ably supported by Richard Prankard 10 and Matt Bowles 13 not out.