IN a low-scoring match, Reed s Sunday team won an entertaining encounter with Crawley Green Nomads. Reed were forced to field 10 men against the Luton-based side, after losing all-rounder Rupert Martin before the start of the match. However, captain Mar

IN a low-scoring match, Reed's Sunday team won an entertaining encounter with Crawley Green Nomads.

Reed were forced to field 10 men against the Luton-based side, after losing all-rounder Rupert Martin before the start of the match.

However, captain Marcus Martin decided to take the game to Crawley and put them into bat.

And it was a decision that looked entirely justified when opening bowler Richard Johnson (8-0-41-4) ripped into the Crawley top order, while fellow opener Karl Ward (8-2-18-0) tied the hosts down with a spell of line and length bowling.

Johnson's quick bowling was too much for Crawley and after 12 overs they were reeling on 36-4 with Robert Willoughby taking three excellent catches.

The Reed skipper then took three more wickets in just four balls, before taking a fourth in a highly productive six-over spell.

Ed Garrott and Jason Pallett saw off the remaining Crawley batsmen, with the hosts finishing on 96 all out after just 30.4 of their allotted 40 overs.

Tom Fulk and Phil Frenay then set about that total in style, and reached 38 without loss after 10 overs.

However, a lack of concentration combined with some superb bowling saw the Reed chase collapse somewhat, with Frenay (12) being trapped lbw, Fulk (29), and Michael Robertson (3) heading to the pavilion.

Martin then went for a two-ball duck, with the dangerous Jethwa then dismissing Johnson for a controversial lbw, and then Ward left the action for just one, with Reed on 46-6.

Matt Bowles remained while others fell and his defiant display steadied the Reed ship with the contribution of Garrott (11) before he was run out. Their total had progressed slowly and on 89-6, eight runs were needed.

Bowles (11) continued to find the runs, but it was Willoughby who wrapped things up, smashing a pull shot over the boundary.

Captain Martin said: "We did brilliantly to recover especially after last week's debacle.

"I'm pleased for the lads - they worked really hard, especially as we had only 10 men.