Despite being ravaged by illness and injury, Reed’s first XI opened their Saracens Herts League Championship campaign with a comfortable six-wicket victory over rivals Stevenage.
Their opponents lost wickets at regular intervals to the opening attack of Pete Tidey (10-1-21-1) and Ian Osborne (10-0-48-3).
At 88-5 they were rocking but a stubborn partnership of 51 between Andrew Joslin (46) and Shadrach Gittens-Browne (23) steadily re-built their innings.
However, Alex Mutucumarana (8-1-29-2) bowled out both and they finished on 186-9 after 50 overs.
In reply, Reed lost two quick wickets, but Will Heslam (79*), in 70 plus run partnerships with Rob Lankester (42) and Richard Wharton (36), saw the visitors home with five overs to spare.
Man of the match Wharton also dismissed four batsmen, leaving Reed with a comfortable chase.
They host Dunstable Town on Saturday.
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