Harold Wood and Ilford frustrated by rain
Harold Wood’s Essex League Premier Division basement battle with Ilford was abandoned after the heavens opened across Essex at the weekend.
Captain Richard Brabner chose to bat after winning the toss, with the match reduced to 39 overs per side after a delayed start.
But he saw Raihan Hussain fall to Hendro Puchert without scoring and the same bowler removed Burham Mahmood (23) and claimed a third scalp as the hosts slipped to 34-3.
Kris Ali was trapped leg before by former Wood skipper Shaz Hafeez with the score on 53, but Brabner and Shahbaz Khan fought back with a 72-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Brabner contributed 11 runs before he became Hafeez’s second victim, with Maruf Chowdhury following soon after to leave Wood 127-6.
Chris Bennett held firm for a while to give Khan support, before succumbing to slow left-armer Theeban Tavarasa.
And Khan was two runs short of an unbeaten century with Wood 178-7 after 35 overs when a storm hit.
No further play was possible after that deluge, with Puchert (3-31) and Hafeez (3-34) the pick of Ilford’s attack.
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