Hoddesdon Pace To Much For Sawbo Batsman

Saturday 13th May saw Hoddesdon 1st XI travel to Sawbridgeworth for the second of the limited over games.

Skipper Rob Walters' men were unchanged from last weeks win against Botany Bay and looked to see if they could secure their second win against Sawbo who like Botany Bay were relegated last season.

Winning the Toss, Hoddesdon elected to bat on what looked like a decent Wicket. With Walters and Achillea at the crease, Hoddesdon looked to continue their form last week but, what a difference a week can make. Opener Rob Walters was bowled for a Diamond Duck first ball of the innings. The cheers around the ground showed what a prized scalp he was as Hoddesdon were 0-1 from 1 ball.

Achillea was joined at the crease by Sam Davis and both looked to play positively against the Sawbo bowling attack crashing the ball to the short boundary. Numerous fours and sixes rained in until Davis (40) missed a straight ball which clipped his pads and onto his stumps - Hoddesdon were 40-2.

Ross Clarke joined James Achillea at the crease and both batsman conscious of the score board played sensibly, capitalising on the bad balls. Achillea was the next to go, being bowled for 32 as Hoddesdon crumbled to 81-4. South African Jayden Broodryk was the next batsman in but soon departed after middling cut short straight to point for 7.

Rob Jones (0) went for a duck, chipping one up to mid wicket and Jamie Curtis (8) was dismissed by LBW as Hoddesdon struggled to 126-7. The Hoddesdon batting collapse of old was averted by Todd Sturdy and veteran Martin Brown. Both batman grafted away against some good spin bowling and kept the score board ticking over until Brown was bowled for 30.

Sturdy was joined by keeper Rhys Jones and the pair continued to battle away against the Sawbo Spinners. Jones looked to give the strike Sturdy who was hitting the ball cleanly and soon brought up his 50. Jones (8) was the next batsman to fall being trapped LBW to a ball which didn't up bring an end to the pairs 47 run partnership.

Hoddesdon's eleventh batsman was bowler Bill Thorne (11) who instantly looked to sweep the Sawbo spinners clocking up numerous boundaries.

Hoddesdon's Innings came to an end when Sturdy wall caught and bowled by Billings for 62. HCC all out for 238.

After some decent teas, Walter's men took to the field and looked to attack the Sawbridgeworth openers Rudkin and Wilson with pace from both ends. Sam Davis and Jayden Broodryk both steaming in with a mix of short and full balls making the batting pair work hard for their runs. Charlie Rudkin didn't last long - the pace of Broodryk got the better of him and the opener was bowled for 2, John Thorley soon followed LBW for a duck.

Overseas Clayton Floyd looked to steady the ship but was caught at mid-off by Ross Clarke off the bowling of Sam Davis. Danny Wilson followed suit, dancing down the track looking to smash Rob Walters back over the site screens but missed by a country mile and was Stumped by Rhys Jones.

With score 37-4 Hoddesdon were now in the driving seat. Walters and Davis continued to attached the Sawbo batsman and wickets continued to fall. Bill Thorne nipped in with 3 overs taking two wickets as the tail stopped wagging and Hoddesdon Bowled Sawbridgeworth out for 97.