Hoddesdon Cricket Club bounced back in emphatic style on Saturday, producing a dominant all-round display to defeat Hemel Hempstead Town by 100 runs in their second league outing of the 2025 Hertfordshire Premier Cricket League Championship Division season.

On a warm late spring afternoon at Lowfield, it was skipper Rob Walters who stole the headlines with a staggering innings of 164 at the top of the order, laying the foundation for what ultimately proved an unassailable total.

After winning the toss, Walters had no hesitation in electing to bat on a flat-looking pitch. The decision paid instant dividends as the captain led from the front in a masterclass of controlled aggression, intelligent strike rotation, and brute power. His mammoth knock, peppered with 16 boundaries and 8 sixes, was the highest individual score of the Championship Division season so far—and one of the finest seen at Lowfield in recent memory.

The platform set by Walters allowed Hoddesdon to post a formidable 318 for 8 from their 50 overs, with handy contributions in the lower middle order helping push the total past the psychological 300 mark. In response, Hemel Hempstead were always behind the rate and struggled to recover from a flurry of early wickets. Despite a gritty 63 from Mark Brazier and a stubborn 50 from Oliver Ilott, they were eventually restricted to 218 for 8, falling well short of the target as Hoddesdon’s bowlers shared the wickets in a disciplined team performance.

Powerhouse at the Top: Walters Lights Up Lowfield
It was a day that will be remembered for one man’s extraordinary batting effort. Rob Walters strode to the crease alongside last week’s batting hero James Curtis, and from the outset, looked in ominous touch. Timing the ball sweetly from the first over, he capitalised on anything short and was quick to pounce on width, dispatching Hemel’s seamers and spinners alike to all parts of the ground.

Curtis, who played such a key role in Hoddesdon’s narrow loss the previous weekend, couldn’t replicate his heroics this time around. He fell early for 11, caught by Tom Elborn in the fourth over with the score on 24. That would be the only blip in an otherwise dominant first half of Hoddesdon’s innings.

Andrew Lewis briefly supported Walters but was bowled for 4, leaving the hosts at 2 for 45. However, any hopes Hemel Hempstead had of seizing the momentum were quickly dashed as Walters continued to find the boundary with alarming regularity. Even as wickets occasionally fell around him, the Hoddesdon captain remained unflustered, manipulating the field and rotating the strike with ease.

He brought up his century in just 112 balls—a fluent, confident knock that showed no signs of slowing. By the time he was finally dismissed in the 49th over, lbw to Parth Mehta, Walters had amassed 164 runs from 140 balls in a 187-minute exhibition of dominance. His innings included moments of breathtaking power and pinpoint placement that kept the scoreboard ticking over relentlessly.

Middle-Order Support and Late-Order Push
While Walters was undoubtedly the centerpiece, his supporting cast played valuable roles throughout the innings. Oliver Akrinsitali (16) and Clayton Stone (21) both got starts and helped steady things through the middle overs, while Johnny Munday struck four boundaries in a lively 36 before falling lbw to Edward Pike.

Harry Mason added 26 late on with some inventive strokes, including two classy boundaries and two lovely sixes, before being run out in the off the last ball of the innings. Prior to that, Muhammad Hasan Ali provided the finishing touches with a punchy 10 not out from just five deliveries, including two boundaries that took Hoddesdon well past 300.

Extras, too, played their part—24 in total—as Hemel Hempstead’s bowlers struggled at times with their discipline, conceding 22 wides.

The Bowling Response: Early Strikes Break Hemel
Defending a mammoth 318, Hoddesdon’s bowlers wasted no time in putting the visitors under pressure. Arkinstall drew first blood in the second over, dismissing oppo captain Brett Penny for a duck courtesy of a sharp catch from Harry Mason. Curtis then got in on the action, catching Elborn, again off the bowling of Arkinstall, to leave Hemel reeling at 2 for 50.

Oliver Akrinsitall continued the early damage, then picking up the wicket of Freddie Lowe—to reduce the visitors to 3 for 50. Hemel’s middle order looked fragile under the pressure of the scoreboard and Hoddesdon’s tight bowling lines.

Captain Rob Walters rotated his bowlers cleverly, ensuring each played to their strengths. Johnny Munday bowled with great control taking the scalps of Hodgins and Brazier, while Harry Mason took a well-deserved wicket and kept things tight through the middle overs, bowling Hoskins late on.

Despite a valiant 63 from the afore mentioned Mark Brazier, who found the boundary eight times and played some lovely strokes down the ground, Hemel never seriously threatened the target. He and Oliver Ilott (50) put together a significant partnership of the innings—adding 41 —but the required run rate had already soared above 10 an over by that point.

When Ilott fell to captain Walters in the 50th over, a nice grab by Higgs, any lingering hope was extinguished, and Hemel limped to 218 for 8 by the close of their innings.

Bowling Summary: All Hands on Deck
Hoddesdon’s bowling unit once again functioned as a cohesive force, with six bowlers sharing the eight wickets between them. Muhammad Hasan Ali was particularly impressive, taking 1 for 38 from his nine overs, including a maiden. His accuracy kept the batters honest throughout.

Oliver Akrinsitall picked up 3 wickets as the star of the show, his probing line producing vital breakthroughs. James Curtis, fresh from his batting exploits last week, bowled 10 overs for just 32 runs to keep the foot on the throat of the visitors. Johnny Munday (2), Harry Mason (1) and Rob Walters (1) all took wickets and each bowled with economy and consistency to restrict scoring opportunities.

It was a professional and controlled performance with the ball, backed up by sharp fielding—especially in the inner ring, where the likes of Sturdy and Stone were quick to cut off angles and prevent easy singles.

A Captain’s Knock and a Statement Win
Saturday’s win marked not only a return to winning ways but also sent a message to the rest of the division that Hoddesdon mean business in 2025. After the disappointment of falling just short in their season opener, this complete performance—built around an individual masterclass—showcased the potential of this side when it all clicks.

Captain Rob Walters’ 164 will long live in the memory of those in attendance at Lowfield. It was not just the weight of runs, but the way they were scored—intelligent, clinical, and devastating in equal measure—that underlined his stature both as a player and a leader. With that effort, Walters also picked up the coveted Greene King Green Jacket Award, which you can read all about HERE.

Speaking after the match, Walters was full of praise for his team:

“It’s obviously great to get a big score, but what pleased me most was how we played as a unit. We set the tone early, put up a big total, and then backed it up with the ball. Every bowler did their job, and the energy in the field was spot on. That’s the standard we want to maintain this season.”

He also acknowledged the growing competition in the league:

“We know there are some very strong teams in this division. We’ve got to be at our best week in, week out. But if we play like that—with intent and discipline—we’ll be right up there.”

The Table: Hoddesdon Climb to Fourth
The result lifts Hoddesdon into 4th place in the HPCL Championship Division, with 34 points from their opening two fixtures. They sit just behind early pace-setters Broxbourne, Old Owens and Shenley Village, all tied at the top on 50 points following perfect starts to the campaign.

With Hoddesdon picking up a full 25 points, their total reflects not only the importance of the win but the manner in which it was achieved.

Meanwhile, Hemel Hempstead slip to 9th in the table, with two defeats from two and only 11 points to show for their efforts thus far.

Match Summary

Hoddesdon CC – 318/8 (50 overs)
Rob Walters 164 (140), Johnny Munday 36 (42), Harry Mason 26 (21); Parth Mehta 2-27, Charlie Hoskins 1-57

Hemel Hempstead Town CC – 218/8 (50 overs)
Mark Brazier 63 (75), Oliver Ilott 50 (77); Johnny Munday 2-46, Oliver Akrinstall 3-48, Muhammad Hasan Ali 1-38

Result: Hoddesdon CC won by 100 runs

Umpires: Murray Carlson & Ben Whyall
Scorers: Liz Woods & Claire Thompson

Up Next: Momentum to Maintain
Hoddesdon travel away to Chorleywood next weekend in search of back-to-back wins, eager to continue the momentum from this statement victory. With form and confidence building, and their skipper in imperious touch, the Lowfield faithful will hope this is just the beginning of a season to remember.

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