Captain reflects on T20 victory

Harold Wood captain Tom Clarke was delighted with teammate Raihan Hussain’s performance after he guided the team to T20 victory over Ardleigh Green last night with a superb 141.

Green won the toss and chose to bat first, racking up a good innings of 183-4 from their 20 overs.

But with Hussain on strike Wood chased down the opposition’s score for a seven-wicket victory.

Clarke said: “I thought Ardleigh Green batted really well actually and they ran really well too, putting us under a lot of pressure.

“But as soon as Raihan and Burhan (Mahmood) went out they realised the shoe was on the other foot.

“Raihan is an absolutely class act when his game is on top notch and luckily everything clicked and he hit some bloody good shots.”

Hussain was also Wood’s best bowler on the night with 2-26 and Clarke hopes he can carry that kind of form into the long game as Harold Wood participate in the Essex Premier League Division for the first time this season.

“He’s looked good but hasn’t quite got the runs that he probably deserves,” added Clarke.

“Hopefully a knock as good as that and some time in the middle will make sure that he kicks on for Saturdays.”

Defeat for Ardleigh Green means they are still without a win in the tournament and while stand-in skipper Paul Hurworth was pleased with his side’s innings, he admitted Hussain was too strong for them on the night.

“I thought it would have been a decent challenging total, but when one player gets 141 there’s not a lot you can do,“ said Hurworth.

“I got injured bowling the first ball I bowled so I couldn’t bowl anymore and everyone else unfortunately bowled one or two bad balls an over and he put them away and won them the game.”

Wood are set to visit Chelmsford tomorrow (Saturday) in the Essex Premier Division, while Green host fellow strugglers Wickford in Division One.