HARLOW Town 1st XI beat the weather on Saturday to return to winning ways clinching a crucial victory against Ardleigh Green and Havering-atte-Bower.

After winning the toss the visiting skipper opted to bat first, considering the weather forecast he was probably hoping that his batters would get some time at the crease before the rain started.

Ronnie Yates and his charges had different ideas and took the game to the visitors. Thanks to some good bowling and some less than impressive batting Town regularly took wickets and dismissed the visitors for just 22 in 9.2 overs.

Ronnie Yates and Sam Wilson taking 5 wickets a piece. Batters Dan Baldwin and Shaun Alderson knocked off the runs in 4 overs, with Town finishing on 24-0, winning the game by 10 wickets and all in the space of 13 overs.

Thanks to the quick victory, coupled with all other games in the division being abandoned Town moved back into the promotion hunt. They now enter a critical stage of the season with 3 consecutive away trips to Goresbrook, Woodford Green and Leigh-on-Sea respectively.

The 2nd XI were once again frustrated by rain, whilst the 3rd XI had to concede due to availability issues.