Reed are just three games from another trip to Lords - but a near neighbour stands in their way.

Having already come through the group stage in Beds & Herts, Reed saw off south Essex winners Bentley in the round of 32 in the National Village Cup.

Reed celebrate their 2017 National Village Cup win. Picture: REED CRICKETReed celebrate their 2017 National Village Cup win. Picture: REED CRICKET (Image: Reed Cricket Club)

But if they are to repeat their successes of 2012, 2015 and 2017, they will have to beat Cambridge and Norfolk champions Foxton Granta.

Reed still have six members of that first success in 2012 with five of them having appeared in all three finals.

The latest victory came with a winning margin of seven wickets and was done with more than 15 overs to spare.

Bentley won the toss and elected to bat first, only to find Reed opening bowlers, Jack Tidey, and Toby Fynn, particularly miserly.

Honours were still pretty even for the first 20 overs but eventually the constant pressure of bowlers and fielders told, sending Bentley tumbling from 132-5 to 162 all out in the 39th over.

Reed got off to an attacking and dominant start in their reply.

There was still some excellent ground fielding from Bentley but Will Heslam and Kallum Ward were both striking the ball with positivity.

It progressed Reed on to 72-1 in the 14th over before Heslam fell for 39 to an excellent running catch in the deep by Phil Coleman.

However, this then encouraged Ward to go into overdrive and he punished the Bentley bowlers as he moved to 79 not out, in an innings that included 10 fours and three sixes.

Reed skipper Rob Lankester contributed a 25-ball innings of 34 before Ward closed the match with a last boundary hit for four.

Foxton reached the last 16 with a 53-run win at home to Chestfield of Kent.

William Brown top scored with 56 while Harry Hopwood (38), Adam Webster (35) and Douglas Rice (33) chipped in with good knocks too.

Henry Campbell and Lewys Hill then took three wickets as Foxton won in the 37th over.