Paul Webb celebrated a birthday five-for at Lowfield as his 5-49 for the Second XI earned him a second Greene King Level Head Green Jacket of the season.

Paul Webb’s Saturday may not have brought the result Hoddesdon’s Second XI wanted, but it certainly brought a birthday to remember. On the day he added another year to the clock, Webby added another milestone to his Hoddesdon story, claiming five wickets against Lutonian CC 2nd XI and walking away with this weekend’s Greene King Level Head Green Jacket.

This was Paul's second Green Jacket of the 2026 campaign, following his earlier award for the Third XI away at Preston CC, Herts, when he produced a superb all-round display of 4-27 with the ball and 31 from 31 balls with the bat. This time, the bat played only a supporting role, but with the ball in hand, Webb once again showed exactly why he remains such a valuable cricketer across the club.

Son Barney Presented His Dad With His First Green Jacket Of The Season, Back In Late July

The Second XI were beaten by 78 runs at Lowfield, with Lutonian posting 290 all out from 47.4 overs before Hoddesdon replied with 212-7 from their 50 overs. It was another frustrating afternoon in what has been a difficult Division 4B campaign, but it also provided another reminder that even in defeat, there are performances worth recognising, applauding and celebrating properly.

Webb’s figures of 9 overs, 0 maidens, 49 runs, 5 wickets were the standout individual return of the day and the kind of spell that demanded attention. Lutonian had plenty of batting in their line-up, including Zain Hameed’s excellent century, but Webb kept charging in and found a way to make things happen when Hoddesdon needed breakthroughs. The wickets came at important stages too, with Webb helping to ensure Lutonian were bowled out rather than allowed to disappear completely out of sight. He removed centurion Hameed for 100, had Sumair Rana caught by Ashley Hill for 20, dismissed Usama Saad for 6, got Muhammad Azib for 36 and then added Adnan Naseeb for 10 to complete his five-wicket haul.

Paul Took 5 Wickets For The Third Time In His Hoddesdon Career

It was classic Webby: persistent, competitive, slightly grumpy in all the right ways, and relentlessly involved in the game. On a day when Lutonian were threatening a huge total, his spell gave Hoddesdon something to rally around, and it was no surprise that he was the name read out back in the clubhouse later that evening.

There was a particularly nice family touch to the presentation, with Paul handed the Green Jacket and a pint of Level Head by his teammate and son, Freddie Webb. Freddie had played alongside him in the Second XI on the day and also chipped in with 28 not out during Hoddesdon’s reply, making it a proud father-and-son moment in front of the Lowfield crowd.

Son Freddie Did The Honours Post-Match

“I’ll take that every day of the week,” said Paul Webb. “It would obviously have been better if we had got the win, but to take five wickets on my birthday and then have Freddie present me with the jacket back at the club was a really special moment. I’ve had a few good days playing cricket here, but that one will definitely be up there.”

Webb also admitted that the Green Jacket is not something any player takes lightly, especially in a week where there were several good performances across the senior sides. “It’s a brilliant award because it gives everyone something to chase, whatever team they are playing in,” he added. “There were some really good claims this week, so to win it again is a lovely feeling, and I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me.”

The deeper numbers underline just how much Webb has contributed with the ball for Hoddesdon over the years. Across his club career, he has now bowled 355.1 overs, taking 86 wickets at an average of 20.56, with an economy rate of 4.98 and a strike rate of 24.78.

His best figures remain the outstanding 5-11 he took in June 2024 for the Saturday 3rd XI HEBL side against Harlow CC 5th XI, while this weekend’s 5-49 now sits proudly among his top five performances for the club. It is also his third five-wicket haul overall for Hoddesdon and his first of the 2026 season. This year alone, Webb has now taken 22 wickets from 105.1 overs, with Saturday’s five-for becoming his best return of the summer. His 2026 economy rate of 5.41 and average of 25.86 show the workload he has taken on, but the more telling figure is perhaps the percentage of team wickets column, where he has claimed just over a fifth of Hoddesdon wickets when he has bowled.

There is also a nice little story in the dismissals. Of Webb’s 86 career wickets, 40 have been caught, 22 bowled, 5 lbw and 12 stumped, showing a bowler who has found different ways to get batters out and who has repeatedly brought fielders and keepers into the game.

Paul's Career Stats With The Ball

Second XI captain Adrian Lee was full of praise for Webb afterwards, not just for the figures but for the spirit behind them. In a tough season where wins have been hard to find, Lee said Webb’s attitude and competitiveness had been exactly the sort of thing the side needed around the group.

“Paul was outstanding,” said Lee. “He kept running in, kept asking questions and fully deserved his five wickets. We have had a hard season as a Second XI, there is no getting away from that, but performances like Paul’s show the character we still have in the side.”

Lee also paid tribute to the family angle and the birthday timing. “For him to do it on his birthday and then have Freddie present him with the jacket afterwards was brilliant,” he added. “That is what club cricket is about, really. You want the wins, of course you do, but you also want those moments that people remember, and Saturday gave Paul and the Webb family one of those.”

It Was A Double Celebration For Webb Senior On Saturday

Webb was not the only Hoddesdon player with a good claim on the award this weekend. Henry Taylor took 2-23 and Freddie Lee claimed 2-38 in the Third XI’s win at home to Ickleford, while Connor Hunt made a strong 68 and Mark Feely added 58 in the same victory.

There were also good performances higher up the club, with Himesh Ramanayake making 58 for the First XI away at North Mymms and Harry Mason adding 54 in the same game. All of those efforts deserved recognition, and they made this another competitive Green Jacket vote, but Webb’s five-wicket haul, birthday backdrop and second award of the season gave him the edge.

As ever, Hoddesdon Cricket Club would like to thank Greene King Brewery and their excellent Level Head IPA for their generous continued support of the Green Jacket award. The weekly presentation has become a brilliant part of Saturday nights back at Lowfield, giving players from every senior side the chance to be recognised in front of teammates, friends, families and supporters.

So congratulations to Paul Webb on a superb five-wicket haul, a second Green Jacket of the season, and a birthday very well spent. The result may have gone Lutonian’s way, but Webby still gave Hoddesdon something to celebrate, and he did it in proper style with ball in hand, family by his side and a pint of Level Head to toast the moment.

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