Hoddesdon Cricket Club’s First XI head to Digswell Park on Saturday with confidence flowing after three consecutive victories, but they face a stern Championship Division test against a Welwyn Garden City side packed with proven run-scorers and wicket-takers. Rob Walters will again captain the side, Will Steward takes the gloves, and there is a particularly welcome sight on the team sheet with spinner Harry Mason returning after a lengthy injury absence.

The 11am fixture arrives with Hoddesdon sitting fourth in the table on 261 points following victories over Preston, Luton Town & Indians and Hemel Hempstead Town. Welwyn currently occupy sixth on 246, although their position requires some context because they have played only 13 matches compared with Hoddesdon’s 15, leaving them with games in hand and every incentive to make those count during the closing weeks. Conditions should be pleasant for cricket, with temperatures expected to sit in the low to mid-20s after Hertfordshire finally received some much-needed rain during the build-up to the weekend. After weeks of dry, hard surfaces and increasingly parched outfields, that moisture could freshen Digswell Park and potentially bring both seam and spin into the contest.

Digswell Park Will Play Host This Saturday

“We’re in a good place and there’s a real confidence about the group at the moment, but Welwyn away is a serious challenge,” said Walters. “They have quality throughout their side, their numbers show that very clearly, and we know from the first game how dangerous their batting can be. We’ve played three very good games on the bounce, so the challenge is to take those standards with us again.”

The change in Hoddesdon’s fortunes over the last three weekends has been striking. A difficult spell was halted emphatically against Preston at Lowfield, where Himesh Ramanayake took seven wickets before Walters struck 111 in a seven-wicket victory, and that was followed by another seven-wicket success away to Luton Town & Indians. James Mitchell was the star of the chase at Wardown Park with an unbeaten 106, while the bowling attack had earlier dismissed Luton for 211. Last Saturday then brought another impressive result as Hoddesdon amassed 297 for eight against Hemel Hempstead before bowling the visitors out for 247 to complete a 50-run victory. That run has lifted Hoddesdon from the lower half into fourth, where they now sit only eight points behind third-placed Shenley Village on 269. North Mymms remain clear leaders with 359 and Sawbridgeworth are second on 316, but the group immediately behind them is tightly packed, with Hoddesdon followed by Luton on 252 and Welwyn on 246.

Hoddesdon Have Risen To Fourth After A Spell Of Impressive Form

Welwyn themselves returned to winning ways last weekend with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Dunstable Town. They dismissed Dunstable for 152 before racing to 153 for two in only 22.3 overs, a result which demonstrated the destructive capability of their batting order when given an opportunity to attack. That victory followed successive defeats against Redbourn and North Mymms, with Welwyn falling five runs short of a revised target against Redbourn before losing by 86 runs to the league leaders. Prior to those reverses they had produced an excellent two-wicket victory over Shenley, successfully chasing 298 to reach 299 for eight.

Welwyn's Recent Results

“It’s a very competitive part of the table,” Walters added. “We’ve got ourselves into fourth by winning games, but nobody is going to hand us anything from here. Welwyn have games in hand and they’ll know exactly what a win can do for them, so both teams have plenty of reason to go hard at Saturday.”

The sides have already produced one entertaining meeting this season, drawing at Lowfield on June 20 during the timed section of the Championship programme. Welwyn amassed a formidable 333 for six from their 60 overs, with Thomas Burnap scoring 115 and Fayaz Homyoon making 112. Hoddesdon responded with 250 for five from 55 overs to secure the draw, and a key feature of that innings was an unbeaten 112-run sixth-wicket partnership between Himesh and Steward. The reverse fixture therefore serves as a useful reminder of both Welwyn’s considerable batting strength and Hoddesdon’s ability to withstand pressure against them.

Both Sides Played Out A Draw Back In June

If Hoddesdon need any warning about Welwyn’s principal threat, the season statistics provide it. Fayaz Homyoon has enjoyed an outstanding campaign, scoring 892 runs from 16 innings at an average of 68.62, with five half-centuries and three hundreds. His top score of 133 came against Preston, and his strike rate of 82.14 shows that he combines volume of runs with a healthy scoring tempo. His 112 at Lowfield earlier this summer means the Hoddesdon bowlers have already experienced first-hand how difficult he can be to remove once established.

Fayaz Homyoon Poses Significant Threat With Bat And Ball

Burnap has appeared only eight times but has still accumulated 389 runs at 48.63, with two centuries and a half-century. His highest score of 132 came against Shenley, while his 115 in the previous meeting with Hoddesdon gives him another clear claim to the danger-man tag. Dan Blacktopp has scored 358 runs at an excellent average of 51.14, including two fifties and a highest score of 92. Alex Chalker adds a completely different dimension, with 336 runs and an extraordinary strike rate of 146.72, meaning Hoddesdon will be particularly wary if he arrives with wickets in hand late in the innings.

Al Mahmud Hasan has contributed 296 runs, while Connor Emerton’s 214 runs have come at an average of 53.50. It is a batting group with both accumulation and acceleration available, and Hoddesdon’s recent bowling discipline will again be required.

Welwyn’s attack is led statistically by Hasan, who has taken 26 wickets from 188.1 overs. His best figures are six for 56, and an economy rate of 4.33 shows his ability to maintain pressure through long spells. Billy Gravett has 19 wickets at an excellent average of 21.95, while Chalker has taken 18 and already recorded two five-wicket hauls. His best return of five for 43 came against Redbourn earlier this month, adding another dimension to a player who has also been exceptionally destructive with the bat.

Homyoon has 18 wickets to accompany his huge run tally and therefore represents an obvious all-round threat. Joseph Hewitt has ten wickets but owns the most destructive individual return among their current attack, having taken six for 37 against Bishop’s Stortford. Simon Bridgewater and Connor Emerton have also provided excellent control, both operating at economy rates close to four runs per over. Welwyn consequently possess enough options to attack Hoddesdon throughout the full 50 overs rather than relying on one or two frontline bowlers.

Welwyn Named A Strong Side Last Week Away To Dunstable

Hoddesdon counter those figures with two of the Championship’s outstanding individual campaigns. Walters has amassed 828 runs from 16 innings at 55.20, including four centuries, one half-century and a top score of 158. His 124 against Preston, 111 in the return fixture and 158 against Sawbridgeworth sit among the leading individual performances of Hoddesdon’s season. His strike rate of 89.42 also underlines the positive approach he has maintained while carrying the responsibility of opening the batting and captaining the team.

Himesh has been phenomenal with both disciplines. His 738 runs have come at an average of 82.00, with nine half-centuries and a highest score of 93 not out, while his bowling statistics are equally impressive. He leads Hoddesdon with 31 wickets at an average of 19.58, conceding just 3.54 runs per over across 171.3 overs. His seven for 69 against Preston remains the side’s best return of the year and sits alongside two separate four-for-30 performances against Sawbridgeworth.

Himesh Ramanyake

Curtis is another crucial all-round component, with 375 runs at 37.50 and 17 wickets at 27.88. His economy rate of 4.21 has made him particularly valuable during recent games, while his batting has included a century and two fifties.

Perhaps the biggest selection boost is the return of Mason after a frustrating spell on the sidelines with a long-term injury. Despite having missed a considerable portion of the campaign, he remains third on Hoddesdon’s wicket-taking list with 19 wickets from 95.5 overs at 23.84. His best figures of four for 28 came against Redbourn back in May, while a strike rate of 30.26 illustrates how regularly he was making breakthroughs before injury interrupted his season. His return gives Walters another genuine wicket-taking option and restores an important element of spin to the attack.

Harry Mason Returns To The Side After Injury

“It’s been a long few weeks watching from the side and I’m absolutely buzzing to be back involved,” said Mason. “You always miss playing when you’re injured, but when the lads are winning you’re also desperate to be out there contributing. I’ve taken my time with the recovery, everything feels good, and hopefully I can slot back in and help us keep this run going.”

Mason’s return is particularly timely with the recent rain potentially giving Digswell Park a slightly different character to the baked surfaces seen across much of the county during the summer. Whether the pitch offers him immediate assistance remains to be seen, but his control and wicket-taking ability provide Hoddesdon with valuable flexibility. Om Thakeria has carried an increased workload during Mason’s absence and has responded with 22 wickets, while Walters himself now has 14 wickets after taking three for 44 against Hemel. Gagan Dissanayake adds another option, meaning the captain has considerably more variety available than during some recent matches.

Hoddesdon travel without Shafi and the in-form Mitchell, who have scored 444 and 447 runs respectively this season. Their absence removes two major contributors from recent victories, but the return of Mason allows the balance of the XI to shift while creating opportunities for others in the batting order. Steward will be important and will also resume wicketkeeping duties. Todd Sturdy, Rob Jones and Andrew Lewis provide experienced middle-order options, with Lewis averaging 29.60 this season and Jones 34.33 from his limited appearances. Johnny Munday and Dissanayake have both made useful contributions during the recent winning sequence, and Hoddesdon’s improved depth has been one reason they have been able to cope with changing availability. The challenge at Welwyn will be to reproduce that collective approach against one of the division’s stronger attacks.

Andrew Lewis Has Forged Himself As An Integral Part Of The 1st XI

The Hoddesdon Starting XI is Rob Walters (captain), James Curtis, Will Steward (wicketkeeper), Himesh Ramanayake, Todd Sturdy, Rob Jones, Andrew Lewis, Gagan Dissanayake, Johnny Munday, Harry Mason and Om Thakeria.

Walters knows a fourth successive victory would provide another significant boost heading into the penultimate weekend of his 15-year captaincy. With only three league games remaining, Hoddesdon have moved into a position where a strong finish could produce an extremely satisfying final placing after the ups and downs of the summer.

“We’ve worked hard to get ourselves back into this position and now we want to make the most of it,” he said. “Having Harry back is a massive positive because we’ve missed him, and I know how desperate he is to play. Welwyn will test us, but we’re travelling there after three wins and we should go with confidence.”

Saturday’s match takes place at Digswell Park, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7NQ, with an 11am start in the Herts Premier Cricket League Championship Division 50/50 competition. Temperatures are expected to reach the low to mid-20s with generally fair conditions, and after the welcome rainfall during the week, both sides will be intrigued to see exactly what sort of surface greets them when play begins.

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