Reed II’s bounced back from last weekend’s disappointing defeat to Ickleford by thumping Welwyn garden City III’s in what Captain Marcus Martin has called “a good a team performance as I’ve seen from us”. On what proved to be a very tricky wicket, Martin won the toss and perhaps mistakenly, opted to bat first on the drying surface. Richard Johnson and Phil Frenay opened up for the visitors and negotiated what proved to be an extremely difficult new ball period very well. With the ball leaping off of a length, it wasn’t long before Frenay was calling for his helmet. Johnson (22) was the first to depart as the pair put on 43 for the loss of the first wicket. When Frenay followed the next ball for 20, owing to a stunning catch at midwicket, Reed were in a spot of bother all of a sudden. Matt Bowles and skipper Martin then calmed things down as they looked to build upon the solid start afforded them by the openers. With the ball still misbehaving, Martin and Bowles had to weather some hostile bowling early doors. They moved the score on to 79 when Bowles was harshly adjudged LBW for 9. Marcus J.E. Baker (1) soon followed Bowles back to the butch as he was caught and Reed were again in trouble on 85-4. However Martin and incoming batsman Jack Caine then took over. The pair mixed solid defence with good, strong attacking shots as they began to take advantage of a flattening pitch and an older ball. Caine was striking the ball in magnificent fashion whilst Martin became more fluent with every over. They batted brilliantly and soon had Reed motoring as the total passed [...]