Old Owens CC 1st XI vs Hoddesdon CC 1st XI
HPCL Championship Division | Saturday 7th June 2025 | Old Owens Sports Ground
Match result: Match abandoned due to rain
Old Owens 68-2 (11.5 overs) chasing Hoddesdon’s 220-9 (50 overs)

Rain Denies Hoddesdon After Captain Walters’ Masterclass at Old Owens
Hoddesdon CC 1st XI were left ruing the weather gods on Saturday after their crucial away fixture at unbeaten Old Owens was washed out mid-chase — just as a potentially thrilling contest was beginning to take shape.

Earlier in the afternoon, Hoddesdon skipper Rob Walters had produced a sublime captain’s innings of 110 from 117 balls on a tricky deck at Coopers Lane, guiding his side to an impressive total of 220-9 in a game where early morning rain had left conditions damp and challenging for batting. In response, Old Owens were 68-2 off 11.5 overs — with Hoddy having grabbed two key wickets — before a steady worsening of conditions led to the match being abandoned around 6pm, much to the disappointment of players and supporters alike.

Despite the washout, the HPCL Championship Division table remains tight: Hoddesdon now sit fifth on 71 points, just two points behind Redbourn and within striking distance of the top three, with Broxbourne and Old Owens still unbeaten at the summit on 105 points apiece.

Rob Walters led a strong-looking Hoddesdon XI into Saturday’s fixture — a game many had tipped as one of the early-season showdowns in this highly competitive division. That said, Walters was without a few key players due to holidays and injuries but none the less, the travelling squad were ready to compete. With Broxbourne and Old Owens both setting the early pace, victory for Hoddy would have thrown the title race wide open — and the team headed down the road to Coopers Lane in positive spirits following encouraging performances in recent weeks, despite the setback against Broxbourne in Round 5.

Toss: Old Owens Choose to Bowl First on Damp Surface
With overnight and morning rain having left the Old Owens pitch soft underfoot and offering early movement, it was little surprise when the home captain won the toss and elected to bowl first. When the covers came off it was clear that Walters men would face a stern test. Many in the ground anticipated a bowler-friendly start, but Walters and his side were determined to post a competitive score — and the skipper himself would soon take centre stage.

First Innings: Walters Leads the Way with a Captain’s Century
Hoddesdon’s innings began watchfully, with openers Rob Walters and Bilal Ahmad taking their time to assess conditions. Unfortunately, Ahmad (2) fell early with the score on 16-1, but that brought the ever-consistent Will Steward to the crease — and together, he and Walters looked to build an important partnership. It wasn't to be, however. Wickets continued to fall at the other end — Steward for 13, Arkinstall for 11, and Stone for 14 — Walters remained the anchor and aggressor, stroking the ball fluently to all parts.

Batting with poise and clarity, Walters combined patient accumulation with authoritative stroke play, passing fifty with a flurry of boundaries — and accelerating superbly through the middle overs. His century (off 110 balls) was greeted with loud applause from both teams and spectators, with many of the Lowfield faithful following the live stream on the clubhouse jumbo screens back home — cheering as news of Walters’ ton filtered through.

By the time he was eventually dismissed for 110 (117 balls, 11 fours, 4 sixes) — caught by Williams off the bowling of Bloxham — Hoddesdon were well set at 195-6, and the tail added valuable late runs to close the innings at 220-9 from their full 50 overs. Munday (22) ands Ali (15) performed admirable but nobody could duplicate Walters staying power. Five players came and went for single fingers and the team would have dearly loved to offer the skipper s bit more support with the bat. Considering the conditions on a grey, overcast and ultimately wet day, it was a score that may have been just about enough.

Hoddesdon CC Batting Summary
220-9 (50 overs)

Rob Walters 110 (117 balls)
Johnny Munday 22 (51 balls)
Clayton Stone 14 (55 balls)
Muhammad Hasan Ali 15 (9 balls)
Extras: 26

Bowling highlights for Old Owens:
Jake Wickham 10-0-43-3
Jack Bloxham 5-0-32-2

Rain Looms as Hoddesdon Attack Strikes Early
After posting a competitive 220, Hoddesdon knew that early wickets would be crucial against an in-form Old Owens top order. With dark clouds still threatening, the Green Machine’s bowlers came out firing — and the ever-reliable Oliver Arkinstall struck first, removing Naim Guilbert for 18. The Aussie, with trademark mullet and furry top lip looking on point, then claimed a second breakthrough soon after, a Rob Walters catch did for Jack Timms (5) — to leave the hosts 68-2 after just 11.5 overs.

Old Owens 1st XI – Chasing 221
68-2 (11.5 overs)
Jj Van Der Sandt 36* (32 balls)
Naim Guilbert 18
Jack Timms 5

Bowling for Hoddesdon:
Muhammad Hasan Ali: 6-0-34-1
Oliver Arkinstall: 5.5-0-33-1

Rain Forces Frustrating Abandonment
Just as Hoddesdon’s bowlers were starting to exert real pressure, the drizzle that had been in the air all day turned heavier — and after a lengthy inspection by the umpires and ground staff, it was decided at approximately 6pm that no further play would be possible. It was a frustrating end for both sides — but especially for Hoddy, who sensed they were in a good position to push for an away win.

Player of the Match Contender: Rob Walters
There was little debate over Hoddesdon’s standout performer on the day — skipper Rob Walters delivering a true captain’s knock in difficult conditions. His 110 from 117 balls was a masterclass in building an innings — judged perfectly for the conditions and the match situation. Many at the club felt Walters was an outstanding contender for this week’s Green Jacket Award — but in the end, it was the 3rd XI’s Greg Marsh who earned the accolade after his own stellar weekend performance, ensuring plenty of banter in the Lowfield clubhouse post-match! You can read all about Marsh's award winning performance by clicking HERE.

Clubhouse Buzz: Fans Follow the Action
Back at Lowfield, a healthy crowd of Hoddesdon players, members and supporters gathered to watch the game unfold via the club’s jumbo TV screens, with the match being streamed live throughout the afternoon. With the second XI at home to Kings Langley, there was a festival of cricketing entertainment on display at our Hoddesdon HQ and many chose to follow the action of both games, nipping in and out of the clubhouse frequently, one eye on Adrian Lee's side, the other on Walter's. Cheers rang out as Rob reached his ton — and though the eventual rain-off was met with groans, there was still plenty of pride in a strong away performance.

League Table Update: Hoddy Still in the Mix
With 5 points earned for the rain abandonment, Hoddesdon moved to 71 points — sitting 5th in the HPCL Championship table:

Pos Team Points
1 Broxbourne CC 105
2 Old Owens CC 105
3 Shenley Village CC 91
4 Redbourn CC 73
5 Hoddesdon CC 71
6 Hemel Hempstead Town 66
7 Preston CC, Herts 66
8 Reed CC 57
9 Dunstable Town CC 49
10 Chorleywood CC 30

Captain’s Reflection: Rob Walters
Speaking after the match, skipper Walters said:

“It’s frustrating to be rained off just as the game was getting really interesting — but I’m proud of how we played. We were maybe a few runs short but it was a really testing wicket in difficult weather conditions. We put a score on the board and our bowlers were starting to cause problems, especially Ollie. Personally, it was nice to get some runs, and credit to the lads for sticking together and competing hard in difficult conditions. Who knows how it would have played out but I will always back my team to take wickets. We’ll take the points and move on — we’re still right in the mix heading into the next phase of the season.”

Final Word: Positives to Take, Eyes on Next Week
While the weather had the final say, Hoddesdon CC 1st XI can take plenty of positives from Saturday’s performance. A captain's century is always a welcome sight, a competitive if not dominant total in bowler-friendly conditions, two early wickets in the chase to apply the pressure and a great team spirit and club atmosphere all point towards a side moving in the right direction. With the race for promotion wide open, all focus now turns to next week’s fixtures — and the Green Machine remain determined to keep pushing towards the top.

All eyes will be on Redbourn at home next Saturday.

#GreenMachine