First Memory of Playing?
My first cricket memory was playing in the garden with my Grandad. He used to play with me all day, or until I hit all the balls over the neighbours fence.

First Bat?
Slazenger v100 Waugh Zone

First Coach?
The one and only Keith Brown. I played with his son, so no real surprise when he won all the trophies

First Game played?
For the under 15's when I was 11. I was drafted in due to a late drop out just because I could field. I batted 11 and got a great first ball that skittled my stumps

First adult game?
When I was about 13. Again, I was selected because I could field and was happy running from deep mid wicket to deep mid wicket

First Hoddy nickname?
Jamo, or Big J little C - this is 100% an admin error

First adult Hoddy Skipper?
My first real skippers who I remember were Dom Derosa in the 3rd eleven and Barry Helliwell in the second eleven. Both were great characters and certainly set me up for life off the field at Hoddy.

First Hoddy Ton?
My first 100 actually turned out to be my first double hundred. I was playing in a development game on a Sunday against Stevenage. I ended up on 207* off 75 balls with 11 4's and 22 6's. I was retired as the skipper (Scarlet) thought it was inappropriate for me to have the clubs highest scores.

First cricketing hero?
My first real cricketing hero was our overseas at the time Francois Herbst. A really great bloke and always had time to help develop me. A great memory I have of him was when we was doing some catching practice in a cricket week. A tennis racket and a golf ball, and after complaining that my hands are about to fall off he replied "you're not catching it right"

First Hoddy night out?
This was to Zero's at the ripe old age of 14. Also my first flaming Sambuca experience.

Proudest moment for Hoddy?
I have been lucky to experience a lot of proud moments. Winning the last game of the season against Reed to stay up and them to get relegated. Winning against Reed last game of the season to win the league. I feel that beating Reed is always good, but for me personally it has to be putting on 406-0 against Shenley in the cup with Rob Walters. It should have been more but they turned up late and the game got reduced by 5 overs.

MY FIRSTS WITH ADAM STURDY

First Memory of Playing?
Has to be ‘The OG Sturds’ feeding me tennis balls in the back garden, teaching me how to play a forward-defensive! He probably realised then I’d turn to bowling ??

First Bat?
A Kookaburra Ridgeback that was made out of MDF I think, then once colts started it was straight to Henry Tilleys for a Kookaburra Bubble, absolute weapon it was!

First Coach?
Local East Herts Cricket Legend John Astin

First Game played?
Few years back now ? but would have been U11’s colts for Broxbourne CC, may have even been against Hoddy!?

First Time Shared a Pitch with Todd?
Imagine it was a Sunday friendly game for Nazeing CCC when he was 12/13ish so just old enough to play adult cricket. Would have been a timed game which allowed him to play and miss at 10 without his teammates putting their heads in their hands. Was more than likely diving over balls back then too! Dad would have played as well, not to make it a family affair but for bandit runs or wickets!

First Game for Hoddy?
2005, I’d just turned 17 and joined the club that Winter. Got drafted in on the Friday night (nothing changes!) for a 1st XI pre-season friendly vs local rivals Hertford. A properly tight and intense game that went down to the final few overs. I hadn’t done much during the game but was called upon to bowl the penultimate over with Hertford only needing 3 to win, bowled 4 dot balls and then one shot along the floor for 4 byes, stinker! The most memorable part of that game however was seeing a ball sky up between mid on & mid off, only for my future best men to collide into each other whilst trying to grab it. I’ll let you work out who came off worse...?

First Hoddy Skipper?
David Hughes. Serious cricketer, brilliant captain and a top guy. Only had the pleasure of playing under Hughesy in my first season but even in that short time you could see how big an influence he was at the club

First milestone? 5 for/50/100
I actually scored my first 50 and 100 in the same game! U15’s match vs Sawbridgeworth, slotted in at 5 and came in to bat in the 4th over, luckily we didn’t have to retire at 25! Shame I used them all up that day really...

Hoddy Nickname?
Sturds/Sturdos are the obvious ones, Dellers (@Dellers1808) calls me ‘The Oxymoron’...sure you can work it out

First Hoddy Night Out?
When I joined in ‘05 Hoddesdon CC had, shall we say, ‘a reputation’ as a party club! That summer of 2005 was pretty insane and recall visiting Zero’s (RIP, just wanna run to you ?) in full Hoddy whites, I think there were about 3 XI’s in there altogether drinking Mudshakes and avoiding the condensation dripping from the ceilings! Once we’d been thrown out it was back to the club to see which of the Wine Society were still left standing!

First Live Pro Game?
Middlesex Vs Surrey in the early years of the Blast, Thursday evening under the lights at Lords, great theatre

First Cricket Hero?
I used to love fast bowlers when I was a kid, watching Darren Gough and Alan Donald run in trying to knock poles out the ground was me! But Flintoff during the ‘05 Ashes was just unbelievable, obviously the whole series was incredible but watching him rise to the top of his game at exactly the right moments against arguably one of the best test teams ever, just unreal!

Proudest moment in a Hoddesdon shirt?
This is cheesy AF but 100% the cycle we’ve been on the past 4/5 years, from being absolutely no where as a club and stagnating, to now seeing success both on and off the pitch, season upon season. Whether it’s promotions for specific teams, young players coming through the ranks, the introductions of new XI’s or the Community projects we’ve recently undertaken, it all makes me hugely proud of the club! All whilst sharing it with your mates.

or......Matt Young serenading the clubhouse on the table

It’s why ‘My Club Is Better Than Yours!’ ?