The equation was simple. Beat bottom of the table and already relegated Woodford Green and secure promotion. It sounded so straightforward but nobody for one moment genuinely thought Harlow would breeze to victory.

This is Harlow CC - with 10 years of Division 3 baggage to carry. One or two of the current crop were at Westcliff in 2019 for the crippling final day defeat and other missed opportunities. It wasn’t just Woodford Green who needed defeating, it was years of failure, close calls, departing star players and a sense that the cricketing Gods would inflict yet more pain.

The 2026 version of Harlow was supposed to be work in progress. The prodigal son had returned to captain after three years of playing at the highest level of Premier League and Division One cricket but otherwise this was a team of youthful promise guided by the experience of Whitworth, Messenger, Hakimi and Riddell. No one foresaw a promotion challenge - well perhaps no one bar the skipper.

Two league defeats to open the season suggested a mid table battle but a stunning run of results thereafter, in particular their incredible run of wins in the challenging time format, had Harlow in pole position for the final run in.

Resurgent Leigh on Sea made sure it was a promotion race that would go to the final day. It wasn’t to ultimately go to the penultimate over of the final day.

Another lost toss saw the visitors electing to bat first on a glorious looking strip. Leading wicket taker and outstanding seamer, Joe Riddell tore in the Green batting. At 54-5 all was rosey in the promotion garden but out of nowhere the match flipped on its head.

It had taken Woodford Green 22 overs to reach 58, such was Harlow’s dominance, but overseas star Mansoori and big hitting Fred Marshall proceeded to hammer a century partnership in just 11 overs.

The alarm bells had reached a deafening volume when with the score on 159 Marshall clipped aerially towards the mid wicket boundary only for 15 year old Harrison Wren to pull off an outstanding and vital catch. A pivotal moment on a momentous day.

From that point on Harlow immediately reasserted control as Whitworth claimed three wickets and Messenger two. In his final over of the season Joe Riddell bowled Ganga-Nair to reach an incredible 51 league wickets for the season and also concluded the visitors innings on 187.

On any ordinary day a very comfortable run chase but this was no ordinary day.

Yeats and Whitworth survived early vociferous appeals to add 52 for the first wicket before the captain was adjudged LBW to his disbelief for 32.

Runs were hard to come by and with Chris Whitworth playing well within himself to anchor the innings the scoreboard crawled towards the all important total. Adding to the Harlow nerves were the constant loss of partners to Whitworth. At 106-4 with only 17 overs left the game was in the balance.

There are times when the scorebook fails to reflect the significance of an innings. Young Harrison Wren’s run a ball 20 falls into this cohort. His cool sweeping to the boundary to relieve the pressure cooker atmosphere was vital. It changed the momentum of the innings.

Whitworth passed 50 and with stand in keeper, Ben Terrington, they edged towards the win. Suddenly two wickets in two balls rocked Harlow back again. Twelve runs were needed from 17 deliveries. Out strode the hard hitting unorthodox talent of Umar Raza. First ball pommeled for 4. Followed by a single and then a Whitworth boundary. Harlow on the brink of ending 10 years of pain.

Spinner Ganga-Nair floated a delivery to Umar - a huge swish of the willow - the ball riding into the late summer sky - surely it’s too high and insufficient distance. A boundary fielder waits to pocket the catch but the ball is dropping towards the edge of the rope. People out of chairs on their feet willing the ball over the line. A desperate grab and hand to the ball but by the barest of margins it has enough to drop over the boundary to whoops of Harlow joy.

Whitworth and Raza engulfed by elated teammates whilst ground staff, supporters and scorer embrace. This team of local lads, the vast majority a product of the club youth set up, had achieved what all those others before them couldn’t. PROMOTED TO ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE DIVISION TWO.

Harlow are finally back with the big boys of Essex cricket. An outstanding effort for a superbly overachieving side. We salute each of you!!!

As if the First team promotion wasn’t enough both Harlow 3rd and 4th XI’s produced stunning wins to escape their respective relegations on the final day. Full reports on each to follow. Let the party start!