A RESILIENT and brave Harlow First XI over came a tough Newham side in their Essex Senior League clash on Saturday at Flanders Field in East London. 

The opening ‘Time’ fixture in the latest phase of the campaign commenced with Harlow losing a crucial toss and being put into bat on a wicket that was partially under water a mere 48 hours earlier.

Unsurprisingly, conditions were challenging for batting in the early stages and at 116-4 with only skipper Yeats looking fluent the innings was at a pivotal point when 17 year old Alfie Jessey walked to the crease. 

The Harlow pair batted superbly and helped the visitors take control of the match. Jessey belied his youth to bat with intelligence and craft, scoring at almost a run a ball, placing his shots and running like a whippet. His captain maintained a high boundary count deploying the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect. 

Yeats brought up his second consecutive century but fell LBW attempting one unconventional shot too many for 107. His wicket brought Muhammed Umar Raza to the action and with it some high velocity fireworks. Incredibly he struck three sixes and two fours in his first 9 balls faced to race to 30 whilst Jessey brought up an excellent 50 at the other end. Determined to try and force a positive result skipper Yeats declared the innings after 45 overs with Harlow 243-5 ensuring he had a minimum of 50 overs to bowl back to dismiss Newham.

The ever warming sun had slowly dried the wicket so conditions were much improved by the time the Newham openers marched into the cauldron but nevertheless Muhammed Umar Raza struck early taking a sharp return catch off his own bowling. 

Two key moments went against Harlow that looked potentially fatal as matters progressed. First, opener Mirjat was dropped at second slip when a edge went to ground (he went on to make 54) before key batter Munawar was the subject of a huge Harlow appeal for caught behind that didn’t go their way (he made an excellent 68).

The game was drifting away from Harlow as we approached the half way point. Chris Whitworth dragged an off spinner down and Mirjat skied towards the boundary only for George Jessey to take a fabulous catch. It was a crucial break through that changed the game. 

Messenger grabbed a return catch at the second attempt before George Jessey trapped the big wicket of Munawar winning an LBW decision. 

The spin of Whitworth and Jessey was working their way through the Newham batting as 7 wickets fell to the pair. Joe Riddell pulled off an astonishing boundary catch to see off the dangerous Alikhail and Newham chose to attempt to bat out for the draw.

Nine wickets down with six overs to go Harlow were desperate for the winning final wicket. Newhams batters blocked manfully until incredibly with a mere 3 balls left Harlow opening bowler Riddell returned and produced the perfect slower ball that befuddled number 11 bat Hussein who skied high. Keeper Alfie Jessey steadied himself and pouched the catch leading to ecstatic celebrations. 

Riddell 1-26, Umar Raza 1-16, G. Jessey 4-57, Whitworth 3-52 and Messenger 1-25.

Twenty five points secured enabling Harlow to jump to third in the league after a third consecutive league win.