Reed claimed another 30 points this weekend to keep the pressure on league leaders Weston with a strong all-round performance at Freman on Saturday.

Having lost the toss and been asked to field, Reed knew that getting through the strong Potton opening partnership, including the league’s leading run scorer, Sam Worthington, would be key to limiting the oppositions total. Regular opening bowling partners, Ollie Kimsey and Matt Jackson, set about their task in excellent fashion, with Kimsey showing real pace and control, backed up superbly by Jackson who was economic and unlucky not to take a wicket or two. After a few aggressive shots from Worthington, Reed got the key breakthrough they were searching for after a vicious rising delivery from Kimsey took the edge and was comfortably taken behind the stumps by Simon Jackson. This brought Potton’s number 3 to the crease who fell in a similar fashion, with Jackson taking another caught behind off Kimsey. The same bowler then castled the stumps of the Potton number 4 for the 3rd wicket of an excellent opening spell.

Skipper Chris Cooper then turned to his first change bowlers with Abigail Jackson immediately keeping the pressure on and taking a wicket with her first delivery, an inswinger that was too good for the opposition batsman. Off spinner Greg McKinnell also took a wicket in his first over, with another Potton batsman failing to defend his stumps and getting clean bowled. Potton’s solid opener Dominic Wright, with some support from the number 6, then set about trying to attack and at least set a target to bowl at. After a good battle between batsman and bowler, he eventually fell to McKinnell who, although wasn’t bowling with his usual control, continued his recent habit of getting good batters out, removing Wright for a well-constructed 57.

With Abigail Jackson completing a dangerous 5 over spell, Cooper rang the changes again, bringing on George Garrott to bowl down the hill. After going for 8 in his opening over, Garrott then found his line and length, bowling a fantastic following 7 overs, going for 3 runs and picking up 2 wickets to finish with outstanding figures of 2-11. Having clean bowled one batsman, Garrott and wicket keeper Si Jackson then combined to get Garrott his second wicket, stumping the batter following some silky glovework from the 3rd best keeper in the team. Standing up to the stumps, Jackson whipped the bails off and was halfway up the track to celebrate with Garrott before the Potton batter turned round to regain his ground.

A father and son run out completed the wickets, with Matthew Jackson firing in a bullet throw to his dad and Simon doing the rest with the Potton batter nowhere to be seen.

Having been set a modest target of 120 to win, Reed started their innings confident of chasing it down. This confidence only increased after a blistering start from Mike Robertson who hit some thunderous boundaries in a typically aggressive innings with one particularly brutal pull shot breaking a chair and reminding supporters on the boundary edge to never take their eyes off the middle when Robertson is batting. Opening partner Stan Cooper also batted beautifully, crunching some glorious drives and pull shots to help get the innings off to a flyer. Once Robertson departed, falling victim to an excellent catch at point, the score had already moved on to 38 off barely any deliveries, entirely taking the steam out of any Potton hopes of an unlikely victory. Cooper carried on batting in controlled but aggressive style, scoring a well-constructed 43 off only 35 balls with 5 fours and 2 maximums, before picking out the only fielder on the leg side.

Ethan Fox and Richard Johnson came and went, but not before both striking some nice shots to keep the pressure on the Potton bowling attack. The chase was completed by two experienced heads in the Reed batting line up with Si Jackson and skipper Chris Cooper calmly knocking off the remaining runs with no fuss to get the required total within 20 overs.

Although it was a game Reed would have expected to win, the home team still needed to do the right things and make sure the correct processes were followed in the field and the chase and it was a good effort to maintain discipline. A solid all-round performance to keep the 3s second in the league making sure Weston keep looking over their shoulders.