Under a warm sun and on a beautiful batting wicket, Abbots Langley chose to bat first. As usual Reed’s opening attack kept the runs down with Julien Fynn, 10 overs for 22, providing the foil to Jack Tidey. He repeatedly beat the bat, but claimed the openers with balls that cannoned into the stumps, finishing with 2-45 from his 10 overs. After Tom Greaves had the obdurate Simon Hamilton LBW for 47, the middle order of Aussie, Leo Connolly, and Matt Parkins began the assault in a partnership o115, both reaching half centuries. At 194-3, it looked like Abbots Langley were set for a big score, but Sam Edkins, 3-53, and Rob Lankester, 2-29 pegged them back by regularly taking wickets. Nevertheless, Reed faced a daunting target.

In typical Reed fashion, they set about it at whirlwind speed making 65 in just 9 overs. However both Sean Tidey and William Heslam had perished in their teens to catches, leaving Ward and Lankester to repair the damage. This they did in magnificent style, hardly dropping the run rate beyond run a ball as they took the score to 197 in a 132 run stand. Ward reached his century with his ninth boundary from the last ball before the second drinks break. He alo hit 4 maximums before he was caught for 101. In the meantime, Lankester had been happy to play an unaccustomed role as stooge to Ward’s starring role, at one stage taking 17 consecutive singles. Having lost his partner, he then stepped up several gears adding boundaries and sixes to his tally of 73, abetted by Greaves (18) as they took the score to within 14 of their target. Both lofted catches though, but they had done enough for Reed to make 250 -6 at a canter.

After such a stirring performance, Reed lie second in the league, 2 points behind Luton Town and Indians, whom they meet next week in an intriguing top of the table clash.