So the winter is behind us, the frenetic activity of spring as we re-activate our Club after the winter, has gone, and we settle down to either play or watch the game we love. After the several weeks of barely honoured friendly fixtures, when we struggle to pull players away from either their tuporic winter firesides, or the never-ending list of “key” football or rugby fixtures, and their seasons that will not die, we finally reach the promised land of competitive League Cricket. To welcome it this year we are also blessed with some sun, albeit accompanied by precious little heat! Bearable in the sun – freezing in the shade! Last season saw 3 of Reeds 4 most senior Xl’s achieve results that sees them performing in higher leagues this season. For the 2nd and 3rd Xl’s that just means a change of some opponents and a different “digit” at the top of their League Tables. For these players and members, the fairly long established, eminently sensible, and refined match playing rules and conditions are barely changed. However, at the top of the Reed tree, our 1st Xl have the new “Herts Championship” to contend with. 2013/14 saw a mega-upheaval in the very top end of Hertfordshire League cricket. After years of mumbling, grumbling, and moaning about the length of top tier matches, the high degree of travel involved at the top level, and the “family unfriendly” baggage that went with Fathers and Sons often disappearing from their families for virtually the entire Saturday, someone had to act. When also faced with documented reductions in Cricket Participation Levels and promised reductions in Sport England Funding to the ECB (and below), the issue was confronted. After [...]