Reed’s 2nd XI stormed to victory on Saturday with an excellent 8 wicket win. Winning the toss, skipper Baz Curtis put the visitors into bat on a wicket that he hoped would prove helpful to his young pace attack. Overhead conditions provided some swing as well.Kallum Ward took full advantage taking the first four wickets to fall including a superb caught and bowled. His opening partner Rupert Martin was late to the party, but picked up two wickets late in his spell.At 30-6 Bentley Heath looked dead and buried. Jaslina and Tarimzi rebuilt the inning. Jaslina batted extremely positively and hit the ball to parts or Reed. The home side seemed to lack ideas and their early work seemed to have been wasted. Julian Fynn had replaced Martin and thanks to a superb one handed diving catch at gully by Simon Jackson, he removed Jaslina for 66. The pair had put on 85 for the 7th wicket. Tarimzi tried to go on the attack, but was caught for 4 and the very next ball Fynn struck again. He finished with 3-22. The final wicket fell with a run out and Bentley Heather were all out for 124. Ward finished with 4-11 from 7 overs.Baz Curtis opened with William Heslam and their main aim was to see of the new ball. Bentley Heath got some early swing, but the pair put the bad ball away and had reached 39 without much alarm before Curtis was caught for 17, with the score on 39. Matt Bowles added 17 with Heslam before he to was caught.Richard Johnson joined Heslam and the pair looked in total control. Heslam hit 11 boundaries in his 58 not out and Johnson with [...]

Reeds Second eleven withstood the scorching heat to restrict Bentley Heath in their pre-season friendly.The Host’s captain clearly had misplaced faith in his batsmen as Reed set about their work under the command of Pete Tidey. Lewis Fitzgerald (5.3-1-26-3) started off with good pace and line and a sharp catch from keeper Marcus J.E. Baker from the fourth ball of the innings made the early breakthrough. Returning in his second over Fitzgerald then bowled a perfectly delivered slower ball, pitched fuller, decimating the wicket. He would go on to take a third thanks to an extremely tough catch from Richard Johnson. Meanwhile, opening at the pavilion end of the charming ground was Under 15 Tom Walshingham who also impressed and returned figures of 7 over, 4 maidens, no wickets for only 5 runs. First change bowlers Rupert Martin (6-0-14-0) and Chris Peckett (6-1-22-2) continued in the same form, with Peckett claiming two wickets thanks to good catches from George Garrott and T. Walshingham. Second eleven spinner Matt Bowles (5-0-7-3) was then introduced and always looked like taking a wicket; he came away with three. His first, a perfectly flighted delivery drew in Dunnett who lobbed it out to G. Garrott who took his second good catch. Bowles’s second and third were bowled and L.B.W. respectively. Pete Tidey (4-1-5-1) also got in on the act taking a fantastic catch off his own bowling, before a run out orchestrated between T. Walshingham and L. Fitzgerald took care of the final wicket with Bentley Heath all out for just 100 runs.Aiden Swain and Will Heslam made a strong start in the second innings making a partnership of 52 in eleven overs. Swain had characteristically been displaying the pull [...]

Reeds Second eleven withstood the scorching heat to restrict Bentley Heath in their pre-season friendly.The Host’s captain clearly had misplaced faith in his batsmen as Reed set about their work under the command of Pete Tidey. Lewis Fitzgerald (5.3-1-26-3) started off with good pace and line and a sharp catch from keeper Marcus J.E. Baker from the fourth ball of the innings made the early breakthrough. Returning in his second over Fitzgerald then bowled a perfectly delivered slower ball, pitched fuller, decimating the wicket. He would go on to take a third thanks to an extremely tough catch from Richard Johnson. Meanwhile, opening at the pavilion end of the charming ground was Under 15 Tom Walshingham who also impressed and returned figures of 7 over, 4 maidens, no wickets for only 5 runs. First change bowlers Rupert Martin (6-0-14-0) and Chris Peckett (6-1-22-2) continued in the same form, with Peckett claiming two wickets thanks to good catches from George Garrott and T. Walshingham. Second eleven spinner Matt Bowles (5-0-7-3) was then introduced and always looked like taking a wicket; he came away with three. His first, a perfectly flighted delivery drew in Dunnett who lobbed it out to G. Garrott who took his second good catch. Bowles’s second and third were bowled and L.B.W. respectively. Pete Tidey (4-1-5-1) also got in on the act taking a fantastic catch off his own bowling, before a run out orchestrated between T. Walshingham and L. Fitzgerald took care of the final wicket with Bentley Heath all out for just 100 runs.Aiden Swain and Will Heslam made a strong start in the second innings making a partnership of 52 in eleven overs. Swain had characteristically been displaying the pull [...]

With the league now over Reed could enjoy themselves by running out the season with a few friendlies. In this first encounter a mixed Reed side hosted Baldock in a 40/40 at The Green.Reeds captain Alan Ward lost the toss and was asked to field first, Tom Walshingham (8-2-23-1) opened coming down the hill and removed Diplock for a duck before Chris Peckett (5-0-18-1) had Gazely caught by second slip Kieran Wheeler. Reed then added to Baldock’s woes when first change bowler Ian Roberts (6-1-23-1) took the third wicket. However, Peacock (46), Rist (42) and J. Gazely (37) showed some fight. Reed young talents Reece Fitzgerald (8-0-36-1) and Rhoddri Hughes (7-0-48-2) displayed their ability and potential as they battled the Baldock middle order and claimed some very good wickets. The visitors posted 188 for 8, Wheeler (2-0-17-1) and Rupert Martin (3-1-12-1) chipping in as did Ward, Walshingham, Fitzgerald and Martin with some well taken catches.In the reply Will Heslam had made a solid ten before being unexpectedly bowled. His opening partner, Wheeler, had made his intentions clear as he started aggressively but with wickets falling at the other end with regularity his efforts seemed to be in vain, a promising partnership with Alan Ward ended when Ward had to retire injured. Ian Roberts coming in at number 8 then joined the antipodean with the Reed total on 105 for 5 and remained with him in a crucial collaboration that saw Reeds total grow. Wheeler then capped off a good season by reaching three figures. However, the job was not yet done and a fight back from Baldock saw 4 wickets fall including those of Wheeler (100) and Roberts (22). Alan Ward (13*) returned to the [...]

With the league now over Reed could enjoy themselves by running out the season with a few friendlies. In this first encounter a mixed Reed side hosted Baldock in a 40/40 at The Green.Reeds captain Alan Ward lost the toss and was asked to field first, Tom Walshingham (8-2-23-1) opened coming down the hill and removed Diplock for a duck before Chris Peckett (5-0-18-1) had Gazely caught by second slip Kieran Wheeler. Reed then added to Baldock’s woes when first change bowler Ian Roberts (6-1-23-1) took the third wicket. However, Peacock (46), Rist (42) and J. Gazely (37) showed some fight. Reed young talents Reece Fitzgerald (8-0-36-1) and Rhoddri Hughes (7-0-48-2) displayed their ability and potential as they battled the Baldock middle order and claimed some very good wickets. The visitors posted 188 for 8, Wheeler (2-0-17-1) and Rupert Martin (3-1-12-1) chipping in as did Ward, Walshingham, Fitzgerald and Martin with some well taken catches.In the reply Will Heslam had made a solid ten before being unexpectedly bowled. His opening partner, Wheeler, had made his intentions clear as he started aggressively but with wickets falling at the other end with regularity his efforts seemed to be in vain, a promising partnership with Alan Ward ended when Ward had to retire injured. Ian Roberts coming in at number 8 then joined the antipodean with the Reed total on 105 for 5 and remained with him in a crucial collaboration that saw Reeds total grow. Wheeler then capped off a good season by reaching three figures. However, the job was not yet done and a fight back from Baldock saw 4 wickets fall including those of Wheeler (100) and Roberts (22). Alan Ward (13*) returned to the [...]

Match report to follow