There are still plenty of overs left to be bowled this season, but there is no disguising the significance of Saturday's Championship Division clash at Lowfield as Hoddesdon welcome league leaders North Mymms in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the summer. Just eight rounds into the campaign and the table is already beginning to take shape. North Mymms arrive in Hertfordshire sitting proudly at the summit on 172 points after six victories from eight matches, while Hoddesdon occupy fourth place on 137 points, just 35 behind the visitors. With Sawbridgeworth and Welwyn Garden City also sandwiched between the two sides, every point is becoming increasingly valuable as the race for the Championship title gathers momentum.

A victory for Rob Walters' side would not only close the gap at the top but would also serve notice that Hoddesdon remain firmly in the hunt despite last weekend's narrow defeat at Shenley Village. Lose, however, and North Mymms would begin to establish daylight over another promotion rival. There is therefore no shortage of motivation on either side as two of the division's strongest teams prepare to lock horns.

State Of Play In The Championship Division

Hoddesdon come into the contest determined to bounce back after suffering an agonising three-wicket defeat away at Shenley Village in temperatures that touched the mid-thirties. It was one of those afternoons where the margins could hardly have been finer, with Hoddesdon posting an excellent 269-7 before Shenley edged home with just over five overs remaining. There were plenty of positives to emerge despite the result. Usmaan Shafi produced one of the innings of the season with a magnificent 113, Himesh Ramanayake continued his outstanding campaign with an unbeaten 89 to earn another Greene King Level Head Green Jacket award, while Om Thakeria claimed superb figures of 4-63 to keep Hoddesdon in the contest throughout the chase.

Captain Rob Walters believes there was far more encouragement than disappointment to take from the performance.

"Last Saturday was obviously frustrating because we felt we did enough to win the game for long periods, but cricket can be a cruel sport. We played some outstanding cricket with both bat and ball and, on another day, we're celebrating a really good away victory. The important thing now is how we respond. We've got a fantastic opportunity at Lowfield against the league leaders. Everyone enjoys these sorts of occasions and we're looking forward to the challenge."

Captain Rob Walters Remains Upbeat

The visitors, meanwhile, arrive in exceptional form. Their comprehensive 28-run victory over Dunstable Town last weekend made it three consecutive league victories, following equally impressive wins over Redbourn and Sawbridgeworth after their earlier fixture against Shenley had been abandoned. North Mymms' batting unit has consistently delivered throughout the campaign. Last weekend they piled up 306-9 against Dunstable before dismissing their opponents for 278, demonstrating once again the depth and firepower that has propelled them to the top of the table.

Dan Waite remains their leading run scorer with 392 runs at an average of 49, including the division's only century for the club this season. His unbeaten 101 against Preston showcased his ability to anchor an innings, while another unbeaten 91 against Shenley proved equally influential before the weather intervened.

Dan Waite Is Key With The Bat For The Visitors

Jakob Bhula has also been among the runs, accumulating 270, including an impressive 82 against Dunstable only last weekend. Twenty-six year old Bhula is a New Zealand cricketer, born in Wellington, New Zealand He made his List A debut for Wellington in the 2018–19 Ford Trophy on 24 October 2018 and prior to that, he was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. During the tournament, he scored 180 runs against Kenya, the highest individual total in all Under-19 World Cups. He made his first-class debut for Wellington in the 2018–19 Plunket Shield season on 6 December 2018 and made his Twenty20 debut on 6 January 2022, for Wellington in the 2021–22 Super Smash. An all rounder who can open the batting and bowls off spin, he is crucial to the North Mymms side this season.

Jakob Bhula

Nesan Jeyaratnam has contributed 274 runs to provide consistent support through the middle order. If Hoddesdon's bowlers are to make early inroads on Saturday, those three wickets could prove particularly valuable.

The visitors are every bit as dangerous with the ball. Dharmarajsinh Jhala has emerged as one of the division's best bowlers, leading North Mymms' attack with 24 wickets at an outstanding average of just 13.29. His best figures of 5-38 came against Luton Town & Indians, while his relentless accuracy has helped maintain an economy rate of just 3.14 across more than 100 overs this season. Yuvresh Malhotra has claimed 15 wickets, Richard Oxley and Rhys Wynne have both picked up ten apiece, meaning North Mymms possess genuine wicket-taking threats throughout their attack rather than relying on one individual.

They also back up their bowlers superbly in the field. Neil Bamford leads the side with six catches, while wicketkeeper Richard Soulsby has completed ten dismissals behind the stumps through eight catches and two stumpings. It is a side with very few obvious weaknesses.

Hoddesdon, however, have plenty of reasons to believe they can match anyone in the division. Walters has once again led from the front, combining aggressive captaincy with important runs at the top of the order, while Shafi's magnificent century last weekend elevated him into outstanding form at exactly the right time. Himesh Ramanayake continues to justify every expectation placed upon him since arriving at Lowfield. His unbeaten 89 at Shenley followed a string of influential performances with both bat and ball, while his calm temperament has quickly made him one of the first names on the team sheet.

Ramanayake Is In Good Form With Bat And Ball

Om Thakeria's four wickets last Saturday also represented another reminder of the depth within Hoddesdon's bowling attack. Alongside Harry Mason and the experienced Rob Walters himself, Hoddesdon possess enough variation to ask serious questions of North Mymms' accomplished batting line-up. There is also some welcome news on the team sheet this weekend. James Mitchell Jr returns to the Hoddesdon side after missing recent fixtures, adding further strength to both the batting order and the bowling options. His return provides an immediate boost ahead of one of the club's biggest fixtures of the season.

James Mitchell

There is, however, one notable absentee.

Will Steward is unavailable this weekend and his absence will certainly be felt. Steward has contributed important runs throughout the season while also providing consistency and quality behind the stumps. Stepping into those wicketkeeping gloves is never an easy task, but Gagan Dissanayake takes on the responsibility this weekend and will no doubt be eager to make his own contribution.

Walters believes the squad has the strength to cope.

"We'll definitely miss Will because he's been excellent for us all season, both with the gloves and with the bat. That's cricket though — everyone misses the odd game here and there due to holidays, family, etc and this weekend it's Will's turn. We've got complete confidence in Gags though and he will do a great job."

Saturday's conditions should also make for another fascinating contest. Thankfully, the oppressive heatwave that engulfed last weekend's fixtures has eased slightly, with temperatures forecast to remain in the high twenties rather than the sweltering mid-thirties experienced at Shenley. It should still be another warm afternoon, however, meaning hydration, concentration and fitness could once again become key factors during the closing stages of the contest.

Lowfield has already witnessed some memorable cricket this season, and another sizeable crowd is expected with the league leaders in town. Club Chairman Ian Munday believes occasions like this demonstrate exactly what Hoddesdon Cricket Club is all about.

"These are the fixtures everyone wants to be involved in. Two excellent cricket clubs, a brilliant setting at Lowfield and plenty riding on the result. It's exactly the sort of match that showcases the standard of cricket being played in the Hertfordshire Premier League. We're incredibly proud of the way this group continues to compete. Whatever happens over the next few months, they've shown they can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the division. Hopefully we can get plenty of support down at Lowfield because the lads deserve it."

With first taking on fourth, a packed Lowfield expected, sunshine forecast and two ambitious sides harbouring genuine title aspirations, all the ingredients are in place for another compelling afternoon of Championship cricket. If Hoddesdon can build on last weekend's encouraging display, produce another disciplined bowling performance and continue the rich batting form shown by Shafi and Ramanayake, there is every reason to believe they can hand North Mymms just their second defeat of the campaign and throw the title race wide open once again.

Hoddesdon CC 1st XI

Rob Walters (Captain)
Usmaan Shafi
James Mitchell Jr
Todd Sturdy
Himesh Ramanayake
Rob Jones
Johnny Munday
Andrew Lewis
Gagan Dissanayake (Wicketkeeper)
Harry Mason
Om Thakeria

Fixture Summary

Competition: Hertfordshire Premier Cricket League – Championship Division
Fixture: Hoddesdon CC 1st XI vs North Mymms CC 1st XI
Date: Saturday 4th July 2026
Start Time: 11:00am
Venue: Lowfield, Hoddesdon, EN11 8NN
Weather: Sunny spells, warm, highs of 28–29°C
Current League Positions: North Mymms 1st (172 pts) | Hoddesdon 4th (137 pts)
One to Watch: Dharmarajsinh Jhala – North Mymms' leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets at just 13.29 apiece, spearheading one of the league's most dangerous bowling attacks.

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