Lowfield will play host to one of the most eagerly anticipated friendly fixtures of the summer on Friday 10th July 2026, as Shoddy XI take on Spurs Away Days XI in a 20-over clash packed with old faces, current players, friendly needle, big hitting, and the kind of cricketing chaos that only this fixture can provide. The game gets underway at 5.30pm, with the bar open as usual and supporters encouraged to come down, grab a drink, enjoy the evening sunshine, and start their cricket weekend the right way.

What began as a fun social game has quickly become a much-loved annual event, with the rivalry between the two captains giving the fixture a little extra edge. On one side will be Shoddy XI, captained by Hoddesdon Cricket Club committee member Jon Dean, while on the other will be Spurs Away Days XI, led by 1st XI bowler and devoted Tottenham Hotspur supporter Harry Mason. Both teams will insist it is all about fun, friendship and playing in the right spirit, but those who know Jon and Harry will also know that neither man will want to spend the rest of the evening listening to the other one gloat.

Two Idiots

The Shoddy XI name carries plenty of affection around Lowfield, particularly among those who remember the old Hoddesdon 3rd XI from days gone by. The side was lovingly known as “Shoddy”, and this fixture gives a number of former players, old team-mates and familiar faces the chance to dust off the boots, roll the arm over, swing the bat and pretend the knees are still working as well as they once did. It is a celebration of the club’s past as much as its present, bringing together players who have shared dressing rooms, away days, memorable wins, heavy defeats and plenty of stories that probably should not make it onto the official website.

The "Shoddy" 3rd XI

Shoddy XI will be led by Jon Dean, with veteran wicketkeeper Peter Draisey also set to feature behind the stumps. The squad includes plenty of names that will mean a lot to long-serving Hoddesdon members, including Ross Maughan, Neil Conner, Mick Billson, Ash Hill, Dan Hawkins, Freddie Hawkins, Paul Webb, Louis Webb, Barney Webb, Adrian “Animal” Lee and Freddie Lee. The side is also expected to include all-rounders such as Jordan Harrison, whose involvement adds another link to the Shoddy years and the spirit of a team that has always valued character, humour and commitment as much as scorecards.

Peter Draisey

Former Shoddy Vice Captain, Neil Conner

There will be one notable absentee from the Shoddy ranks, with former Shoddy captain Josh Gorton unavailable due to work commitments on the PDC Darts European Tour that evening. However, in true Josh fashion, he is still hoping to make it back to Lowfield afterwards for a lemonade, a Kopparberg, or quite possibly whatever drink is closest to hand by the time the post-match stories begin. His absence will be felt on the field, but his presence later in the evening would be a fitting reminder that this fixture is about much more than just the cricket.

Former Shoddy Captain Josh Gorton Will Make An Appearance

Dean, who will captain Shoddy XI, said the fixture is one of those games that players and supporters genuinely look forward to. “This is exactly what club cricket should be about,” he said. “You have got old Shoddy boys, current players, dads and sons, mates, rivals, and a few people who probably still think they are better than they are. We will laugh, we will enjoy it, we will have a drink afterwards, but let’s not pretend I want to lose to Harry Mason and his Spurs lot. That simply cannot be allowed to happen.”

Shoddy Boys Making All The Noise

Opposing them will be Spurs Away Days XI, a side captained by Harry Mason and built around a group of friends who share a deep and often painful devotion to Tottenham Hotspur. The team is made up of supporters who travel home and away to follow Spurs, bringing the spirit of the terraces to Lowfield for a Friday night T20 with a difference. Anyone expecting them to treat it like a gentle knockabout may be in for a shock, because Harry has quietly assembled a strong-looking side with plenty of cricketing pedigree and a few Hoddesdon connections of his own.

Mason’s squad includes a number of players who will be familiar to the Lowfield crowd, with Reece Jones, Freddie Webb and George “Boris” Elsom among the Hoddesdon players lining up for the Spurs-supporting unit. There will also be appearances from past Hoddesdon names and club legends, including James Achillea, Hayden Brown and Shaun Brown, all of whom bring experience, quality and a strong Spurs connection to the contest. Completing the Spurs Away Days XI squad are Ben Petrou, Darragh Vieira, Rhys Whitehead, Stuart Mackay and Danny Bryant, giving Harry a side with plenty of variety and no shortage of competitive fire.

Spurs Away Days XI

Shaun Brown: Proper Spurs

Mason is clearly relishing the chance to lead his team into battle and believes Spurs Away Days XI are ready to claim bragging rights. “It is always a brilliant evening and the sort of fixture everyone enjoys being part of,” he said. “There is a lot of friendship between the two sides, but there is also a proper rivalry now and nobody wants to be on the losing team. Jon will talk a good game, as he always does, but we have got a strong Spurs Away Days side, a few Hoddesdon boys, a few old legends, and we will be coming to Lowfield to win.”

Away Days Captain Harry Mason Has Never Been Shy Of A Little Hard Graft

Hayden Brown, Arguably The Most Talented Brown Outside of Carol

The format should guarantee entertainment, with the match being played as a Twenty20 contest, meaning quick scoring, bold shot-making and bowlers under immediate pressure from the first over. With just 20 overs per side, there will be little time for caution, and supporters can expect big swings, ambitious running, questionable calling, dropped catches that will be discussed for years, and at least one person insisting they used to be much quicker between the wickets. It is exactly the sort of game that suits a Friday evening at Lowfield, where the cricket is competitive enough to matter but relaxed enough to be enjoyed properly.

The family connections in the Shoddy XI side should add another enjoyable angle to the evening. Paul Webb will line up alongside sons Louis and Barney, while Adrian Lee will be joined by Freddie Lee, and Dan Hawkins will be in the same squad as Freddie Hawkins. That blend of generations sums up much of what Hoddesdon Cricket Club is about, with players past and present sharing the same field and the same clubhouse afterwards. It is also a reminder that Lowfield has always been at its best when cricket brings people together, whether they are still playing regularly or returning for a one-off evening of fun.

Shoddy Alumni Ross Maughan

For the Spurs Away Days XI, the fixture gives a group of Tottenham supporters the chance to swap football shirts, away trains and terrace songs for whites, bats and balls. With Harry Mason, Reece Jones, Freddie Webb, George Elsom, James Achillea, Shaun Brown, Hayden Brown, Ben Petrou, Darragh Vieira, Rhys Whitehead, Stuart Mackay and Danny Bryant all involved, there will be plenty of characters on show. The Spurs connection will naturally dominate the banter, but once the first ball is bowled, the cricketing pride of the Away Days XI will be every bit as strong as their football loyalty.

COYS

Freddie, Louis and Boris Are All Expected To Feature

The weather is expected to be warm, making it the perfect evening to head down to Lowfield, enjoy the cricket and make full use of the clubhouse bar. As always, Lowfield365 members will receive their discount on their round, giving regular supporters another good reason to get behind the club and enjoy a lively Friday night atmosphere. With the match starting at 5.30pm, it is an ideal way to roll into the weekend, whether you are a cricket lover, a Spurs fan, a Hoddesdon member, a friend of the players, or simply someone who enjoys a relaxed summer evening at the club.

Fixtures like this matter because they show the social heartbeat of a cricket club. League points will not be on the line, but pride certainly will be, and both captains will be desperate to make sure they are the one smiling at the bar afterwards. Shoddy XI will be fighting for old-school Hoddesdon honour, while Spurs Away Days XI will arrive with a travelling support mentality and a captain who will not want to give Dean an inch.

So come down to Lowfield on Friday 10th July, support both sides, enjoy the cricket, have a drink, and help create another memorable chapter in a fixture that continues to grow in popularity every year. The match starts at 5.30pm, the bar will be open, the weather should be warm, and the stage is set for Shoddy XI and Spurs Away Days XI to serve up a brilliant evening of friendly rivalry, big hitting and proper Lowfield fun.