Saracens Cricket Club are a wandering side and after missing a few seasons, wandered back to the village green at Reed for a friendly last Sunday. This long-established cricket club is not to be confused with the better known rugby club of the same name who sponsor the Hertfordshire Cricket League. “Friendly” it may have been, but competitive it was. Inserted by Reed captain, MJE Baker, Saracens got under way but lost three wickets quite soon to the pace bowling of Joe Graves, 3 for 23. Rhodri Hughes’s leg-breaks accounted for another batsman as the visitors built their innings steadily, thanks mostly to Matt Ayre with 27, then later, to Ben Wallis, 40, George, 30, and A Young, 24. But once the slow bowling pairing of Fergus Martin and Matthew Naeem was introduced, Saracens only just managed to reach 176 for 9 in their 40 overs. Martin took 2 for 2 and Naeem 3 for 21 as they restricted the lower-order batsmen from a late charge. The Reed reply was promising bigger things as Rhodri Hughes scored 15 in an opening partnership of 25 with Martin, but after he fell to a catch, two further wickets fell cheaply leaving Reed at 39 for 3 in the fifteenth over; well behind the required run rate. Briefly, Ben Moody accompanied Martin as they added 25 then the big-hitting Jack Tidey smacked three sixes in his cameo of 28. Now, still behind the rate, Saracens’ veteran bowlers tied-up Reed’s later batsmen. All this time, Fergus Martin continued in his unflappable approach and predictably passed the milestone of fifty. With just five overs remaining and 9 wickets down, Martin began to hit-out and 22 runs were scored in the [...]