CRICKET: Harlow's dismal season continued on Saturday as they crashed to Southend.

A torrential downpour shortly before the start considerably freshened up the wicket and a depleted Harlow team, asked to bat first, were always going to struggle.

Mackenzie was out to the seventh ball of the innings quickly followed by Green and Loveday. Wickets continued to tumble and the largest partnership was a mere 31 runs between Tim Harvey and Richard Ayrton. Ayrton was run out for 28 and Harlow collapsed from 73-5 to 105 all out.

Greg Barnes (4-24), and John Lawford (3-39), were the main benificiaries of the conditions.

In turn, Harlow's bowlers made life difficult for the Southend batsmen. Backed up by some outstanding fielding and catching, they quickly reduced Southend to 24-2. At 70-4, Harlow had an outside chance of victory but the damp conditions were making the ball very soft for the bowlers.

A fifth wicket fell at 81, but that was it as Southend's Paul Wrobel (37) rode his luck to see his side home by five wickets.~

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