Over a period of five days of solid cricket for Harlow Cricket Club from visitors from Australia, top of the table victory for our 1st XI, followed by a tremendous nail-biting semi-final on Sunday then Monday evening a cup semi-final for our talented under 19’s then finishing off on Tuesday hosting Essex County Cricket club Over 60’s cup quarter final against Somerset.

It all started off on Friday 14th with a visit from a touring Western Australia Over 60’s XI playing their counter parts here from Essex CCC hosted by Harlow Cricket Club. An entertaining game played in a traditional, friendly spirit with fine cricketers albeit past a certain age to restrict too much ‘big bashing’ and running, especially in 35 degrees heat. A win for Essex CCC but frankly, the result was academic, playing cricket on an ‘international’ basis alongside a BBQ and plenty of ‘Fosters’ although the Aussies preferred European larger saying Fosters was made for the pomm’s and New Zealanders.

With a tight schedule of getting away by around 4pm, their departure was slightly delayed due to ‘let’s have one for the road, again‘ meaning a 6ish retreat to the M25 and their eventual night digs somewhere in Worcestershire was the best guess from our new friends from down under.

Then onto Saturday, serious stuff. With our first X1 hosting bottom end of the league table, Stanford le Hope a win is vital. As our cricket correspondence will report in another article, the plan for a good win was very much in the balance.

Batting first we lost too many wickets for too few runs but a middle and late order batting revival by our youngsters turn a potentially poor target for our guests to chase, became 200 plus runs to win, which historically over the season would be a tough call for them. And thankfully so it was with a fine win from the likelihood of a shock defeat was the end result.

So move on 16 hours, the bar hardly cleared from the late evening prior, we are back again for a cup semi-final against Frenford CC, also from the same division as us now being our third confrontation of the season. And a competitive game.
Neither wanted to lose so the game was played out at a high oxygen level. As our cricket correspondence has reported we won but only just, a ninth wicket stand with few balls left, we made it across the line. A high spirited atmosphere both on and off the field for sure.

Monday off we go again, this time over to Springfield CC the other side of Chelmsford to witness our Under 19’s XI in a quarter final cup match. I was duly driven there by Mr Chairman in his ‘very fast’ motorcar but still missed a few minutes of play and a couple of our wickets. Our boys did well, solid aggressive bating.

With around 164 on the scoreboard, not an easy target for our hosts, but probably ten runs short, a much older and mature Springfield team eventually wining on the 4th ball of the last over. Our youngsters did well with fine fielding especially in the deep with exciting catches in the rapidly fading light. This was an all-round, mature performance for their collective age, sad loss but an encouraging signal of what we could expect for the 2027 season.

Tomorrow, back to Marigolds to watch the other end of the cricket playing spectrum, Essex CCC Over 60’s entertaining Somerset in a quarter final cup match. This time our chairman is playing and I bet he will be there in good time.

Good morning Tuesday, day five of five days of cricket. Weather overcast albeit not as much compared to our visitors from Somerset who may well have been pre-match training in the neighbouring Green Man last night!

Sadly, a rather dull game but played in the right ‘spirit of cricket’. The visitors hung around for a few beers then off back to the west country. A long drive after a long afternoon’s cricket.

So late Tuesday evening closed five days of cricket with the club. It so reassuring cricket is alive and well in Harlow especially as our near neighbours at Harlow Town CC seem to be enjoying a successful season as well.

Alan Howick – President Harlow Cricket Club.