Reed I 327-3 beat Hoddesdon 235 all out by 92 runs REED travelled for a high profile fixture away to Hoddesdon on Sunday, on what turned out to be a glorious day. Reed skipper Marcus Martin won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a belting track.

Reed I 327-3 beat Hoddesdon 235 all out by 92 runs

REED travelled for a high profile fixture away to Hoddesdon on Sunday, on what turned out to be a glorious day.

Reed skipper Marcus Martin won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a belting track. Opening batsmen Tom Greaves and Fergus Martin soon took advantage of the lightening quick outfield, with Greaves in particular getting off to a flyer, dispatching the first ball of the innings over the mid-wicket boundary for six.

Greaves' half century came up in 21 deliveries and he went on to make a stunning 65 off 31 balls. By this point Fergus Martin had already departed, caught behind for a well made 24, as Reed raced towards three figures.

Stuart Smith also made 26 in fairly rapid fashion, before he was caught in the covers, as the game continued at break neck pace. Numbers four and five batsmen, Phil Frenay and Richard Barlow then carried on where Martin and Greaves had left off.

Frenay looked imperious as he struck the ball cleanly down the ground to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Barlow was also looking in fine form, continuing his recent run of scoring.

Frenay's half century came up in the 28th over, and he showed no signs of slowing down. Barlow also made his half-century, and like Frenay, simply carried on scoring freely thereafter.

The pair took Reed's total beyond 300 in staggering fashion, with Frenay bringing up his maiden century for Reed with two overs of the allotted 40 to spare.

Frenay finally fell, stumped off of the penultimate ball for 120, however Barlow remained unbeaten on 72, with the pair setting a new Reed First XI third wicket partnership of 145 as Reed finished 327-3.

Hoddesdon's reply was a swift one as they too plundered boundaries from the word go with 37 runs scored from the first five overs.

Jack Tidey then made a key breakthrough, snaring a wicket, after Marcus Martin took a sharp leg-side catch behind the stumps. Mitchell Cooper also took a wicket in his first over after replacing Rupert Martin, and then a second in his second over, to leave the hosts 64-3 after eight overs.

The Hoddesdon captain then proceeded to smash the ball everywhere, making 127 in about 65 balls to give the home team a fighting chance.

However, Reed managed to pick up wickets at regular intervals, with Greaves this time showing his prowess with the ball, taking 3-27 off of his eight overs.

Indeed it was Greaves who snared the key wicket of the opposing skipper, caught in stunningly acrobatic fashion by the inspirational old head of Stuart Smith.

Tidey then wrapped up the Hoddesdon innings by taking four quick wickets, to end with a well-deserved five-wicket haul.

Hoddesdon were eventually all out for 235, with nine overs of the 40 to spare, to give Reed an impressive and resounding victory.

REED II's skipper Jason Archer won the toss away at Tewin last Saturday and had no hesitation in deciding to bat. It didn't look a good decision when Baz Curtis nicked one to slip, but once the ball hit the ground the Reed openers didn't look back.

Curtis took full advantage and along with partner Fergus Martin looked in no trouble after that. Curtis was the first to reach 50 with another four through the covers. Martin continued to put the bad ball away and with some good running kept the scoreboard ticking. Curtis was now in full flow and raced through his second fifty with nine boundaries to bring up his 25th ton for Reed.

At the drinks break Reed were nicely placed at 142-0. With the first ball after drinks Martin brought up his fifty following on from his maiden ton the week before. Eight overs later with the score on 196 Curtis tried to hit spinner Fish over the top and was caught at long-on.

His 126 included 23 fours and one six. Three runs later, Martin followed when he was also caught for a fine 57.

Marcus Martin and Richard Johnson soon got into their stride and continued to find the boundary on regular occasions. Martin beat the more aggressive Johnson to his fifty with Johnson getting his in the last over before the declaration came. Skipper Archer decided that 50 overs a side was a fair declaration and with the wicket seeming very flat and with short boundaries the 314 set to win was chasable.

Martin ended on 60no and Johnson 53no.

Tewin got off to a steady start, but were never going at the rate required to get close. Ian Fulk swooped in from square-leg and with a fine throw to keeper Martin ran out Patterison for one.

Davison and Fielding then started to put bat to ball and it looked for a while if they stayed together the match might get interesting but skipper Archer had other ideas.

He brought himself into the attack and with the ball reversing he had Davison lbw in his first over.

Peter Tidey not to be outdone bowled Fielding for 37. From then on Tewin were just trying to see out the overs, despite 35 overs remaining. Archer picked up another three wickets finishing with 4-22 in 11 overs.

Vacani showed extraordinary patience batting for 36 overs for 28no.

Despite Ed Garrott getting a wicket with 10 overs to go, Reed couldn't get another breakthrough and Tewin ended up 158-7 in their 50 overs, just 155 runs short.

REED III continued their recent good form this week with another victory, this time against Sawbridgeworth IV.

The opposition captain won the toss and elected to bat first on the Freman College ground. M Bursun (55) made up a large percentage of the visitors' total as others struggled for runs.

Chris Peckett led the Reed bowling attack taking 4-50.

The bowling change introducing Richard Robertson (7-3-18-2) seemed successful. Julian Fynn (7-1-14-3) got the ball to move in a long way to take his three wickets. Kallum Ward (8-3-29-1) also bowled well and took the last wicket ending the Sawbo innings with a target of 144 runs and 51 overs to get them.

Reed made up the runs in only 35 overs, captain Matt Bowles looked in good form until he was out lbw for 28.

R Robertson also looked comfortable at the crease making 35 before being caught behind.

Maseeh Naeem made 15 but it was Alan Ward (14no) and Marcus JE Baker (12no) who were the men not out as Reed won by five wickets.

REED IV captain Peter Baker was invited by Preston IV to play a friendly and fortunately ten others were available to accompany him.

Preston batted first and made 143 thanks to D Wright (59) who fell to Lewis Fitzgerald (8-2-20-1). Alex West (8-2-20-2) took two wickets but it was Christian Martin's day as he took five for 29.

Reed struggled as they were bowled all out for 104, but Robert Willoughby (15), Will Kirby (10), A West (13) and L Fitzgerald (17) made it into double figures.