Captain Cook delighted to break duck

After earning their first win of the Essex League Division One season last weekend, Ardleigh Green are aiming to build some momentum as they look to climb up the table.

Captain Chris Cook conceded the only way is up for his team and is quietly confident ahead of their meeting with Hadleigh & Thundersley tomorrow (Saturday).

Green remain bottom of the table but had seven matches without a win so far this summer prior to their 12-run victory over Hainault & Clayhall last weekend and now they have renewed hope.

Hadleigh currently sit second in the table, but Cook believes anybody can beat anybody this season, he said: “Hopefully we can build on the victory over Hainault and the only way is up, isn’t it?

“It is a bit like last year as well, where everyone can beat everyone.

“I don’t think there is one team that are miles ahead of the rest, everyone can beat everyone and we want to move up the table and build on this result.”

Building on Green’s victory over Hainault last weekend is key for Cook and he hopes they can use it as a springboard for a positive second part of the season.

Speaking of tomorrow’s opposition, he added: “They have had some good results, but they also lost a few players this season to Southend like we have in the past to Harold Wood.

“And as I say, after our past performances, hopefully we can now use the confidence from that win over Hainault at the weekend and take it into this weekend and build on it.”

n Ardleigh Green’s under-11s got the better of their Rainham rivals in a terriers contest.

Frankie Morgan-Forrester (3-12) and Louie Laws (2-20) shone with the ball as Rainham finished with a net score of 232.

Laws and Louie Apicella held on to excellent catches, with Ryan Lowe (17) bringing up 100 runs for the season in only four matches in Green’s reply.

Under-nine Apicella also scored 17 as Green finished with a net score of 287.