Umpire Malcolm "Tucker" Tye will be donning his suit of armour again tomorrow as Division Three pace-setters Harwich and Dovercourt go in search of another win at Brightlingsea's Regent Road.

The reason for the armour is Harwich's evergreeen Caribbean clubber Martin Alexander who once again is beginning to show the awesome form that has made him one of the Jaygate Homes Two Counties Championship's most feared batsman.

Only last week the giant 53-year-old West Indian - known as Alex to his Low Road team-mates - bludgeoned nine sixes in a match-winning 114 not out an 85-run win over fellow highfliers Copford.

"I just don't feel safe anywhere, either standing behind the stumps or at square leg," said Tucker.

"Alex is a really big bloke and he hits the ball harder than anyone else I've ever seen."

An extremely talented cricketer who used to represent the Combined Services, Tucker said: "Alex has been playing for Harwich for over 15 years and although he prefers facing the quickies, he's certainly no slogger.

"He boasts a wonderful array of shots all round the wicket against all types of bowling.

"His innings against Copford was all the better because it got away to a very rocky start.

"But there was no stopping Alex once he got into his stride and he peppered the boundary all afternoon, losing three balls in the process. He costs us a fortune in new cricket balls!

"Nobody is safe when Alex has got a bat in his hand. I once saw him hit former Essex fast bowler Ian Pont for six sixes over at Witham which didn't go down too well.

"I just love to watch him batting and once he got going last week it was a truly outstanding innings.

"He's a long distance lorry driver notorious for turning up late for matches, but once he's out in the middle everyone had better watch out."

But Tucker insisted that Harwich cricket is not just about the batting of Martin Alexander. It is also about a good team spirit and, spotlighting just two, the qualities of many other players.

He said: "Our skipper Lee Jackson is also batting very well and in former club captain Colin Semple I believe - Wivenhoe's Andrew Golding apart - Harwich has the best off-spinner in the league.

"In my view promotion is very much on the cards."

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