On a warm July afternoon at Lowfield, Hoddesdon 2nd XI succumbed to a frustrating five-wicket defeat at the hands of a sharp and disciplined Harpenden 3rd XI outfit, in an HPCL Division 4A clash that offered little respite from the relentless sunshine—or from Hoddesdon’s recent run of inconsistency.

Captain Adrian Lee lost the toss, only to be inserted by Harpenden, who rightly judged that chasing would provide a tactical edge.

The home side’s batting innings was defined by starts that didn’t quite turn into substance, and collapses that arrived with alarming speed. Seven single figure scored littered the scorecard as the Harpenden attack—particularly Jamie Karunaratne (7-2-15-4)—picked apart Hoddesdon's line-up with control and intelligence.

Hoddesdon’s Stuttering Start
Adrian Lee strode out to open with young Freddie Hawkins, but the stand lasted just 10 runs before Lee (8 off 9) fell to Ben Griggs. Hawkins followed soon after, castled by Gareth Taylor for 1 off 15 deliveries.

The ever-dependable Rocco Cuffaro attempted to steady the innings, producing a patient 30 from 83 balls that included five boundaries. He combined with Phil Stafford (24 off 50) for the only meaningful partnership of the innings—54 hard-earned runs that carried the total into the 70s. But once Stafford fell—caught by an unnamed fielder off Karunaratne—the collapse resumed with venom.

A Mid-Innings Slide
Cuffaro’s dismissal lbw to Patrick Bissett sparked a flurry. Tyrone Mazarura (1), Ross Angelini (0), and Bilal Ahmad (1) came and went in quick succession—Karunaratne responsible for all three wickets, bowling with deceptive variation and ruthless accuracy.

Ashley Hill (21 off 28) and Asif Mohammed (24 off 43) gave the innings a flicker of late momentum, each striking well-timed boundaries and displaying counterattacking intent. But the Harpenden bowlers remained tight, with Bissett (2-35) and Josh Sambrook (1-10) cleaning up the tail despite some resistance from Freddie Webb (8) and Charlie Tackley (2*).

Hoddesdon were eventually dismissed for 154 in 48.1 overs—a total that, while competitive in some conditions, felt light on this occasion given the lightning-quick outfield and favourable weather.

Harpenden’s Rapid Response
Harpenden’s reply was brisk, efficient, and rarely looked in doubt. They lost wickets at intervals, but always kept the run rate high—benefiting from aggressive strokeplay and some patchy Hoddesdon bowling.

Nick Reeves (10 off 13) was first to go, trapped lbw by the hard-working Asif Mohammed, who led the Hoddesdon attack with 3-43 from 8 overs. His dismissal sparked a mini-surge as Mohammed then removed both Josh Sambrook (10) and Dave Whiteley (40) in his second spell—Whiteley’s contribution proving particularly damaging, his 39-ball knock laced with seven crisply struck boundaries.

Gareth Taylor’s Game-Turning Knock
The moment of the match arguably came from all-rounder Gareth Taylor, who bludgeoned a destructive 49 from just 22 balls. Taylor’s innings featured five boundaries and four enormous sixes, his strike rate an eye-watering 222.7. He accelerated the chase past the halfway mark with alarming speed, dismantling Hoddesdon's bowling with fearless intent.

Ashley Hill eventually had Taylor caught by Rocco Cuffaro, but by that stage the damage was already done. Dan Bradley added a lively 21 (off 17) before falling to Hill again, and although Harpenden lost a couple of late wickets, Ben Newton (12*) and Matthew Marven (0*) calmly completed the chase.

Harpenden cruised home with 5 wickets and 30.3 overs to spare, reaching 156/5 in just 19.3 overs—a demonstration of just how small Hoddesdon’s total had proven in the end.

Bowling Figures – Hoddesdon

• Asif Mohammed – 8-0-43-3
• Ashley Hill – 1.3-0-10-2
• Charlie Tackley – 5-0-37-0
• Adrian Lee – 2-0-30-0
• Freddie Webb – 3-0-30-0

The bulk of the damage came from Asif and Ash, with Lee, Tackley, and Webb going wicketless despite tidy spells at times. It was a frustrating outing for the bowlers who found little reward on a pitch that offered good carry and true bounce—but favoured the batters once set.

Harpenden Bowling Summary

• Jamie Karunaratne – 7-2-15-4 (Match-winning spell)
• Patrick Bissett – 10-1-35-2
• Josh Sambrook – 4.1-0-10-1
• Gareth Taylor – 10-2-20-1
• Ben Griggs – 4-0-20-1
• Harry Bradley – 8-2-17-0
• Ben Newton – 5-0-20-1

Karunaratne’s four-wicket haul was undoubtedly the standout performance with the ball, but Harpenden will be delighted with how each bowler contributed—keeping the run rate down and applying consistent pressure.

What It Means
This result keeps Harpenden in 5th place in the HPCL Division 4A table with 186 points, while Hoddesdon, despite collecting 8 points from the match, remain 9th with 124—above only Old Haberdashers. With the season now past the halfway mark, Adrian Lee's side are in desperate need of a turnaround in form if they are to claw their way out of the bottom two. Their recent campaign has been blighted by batting collapses and underwhelming totals, despite flashes of individual brilliance. With matches left to play decreasing every week, the equation is simple: find consistency, score runs, and start collecting wins.

From the Captain
Speaking after the match, Hoddesdon captain Adrian Lee was philosophical:

“We know we’re capable of more than this. Rocco and Phil batted really well to give us a platform, but the middle order fell away too easily. Asif and Ash gave us a sniff with the ball, but 154 was never going to be enough unless we were perfect in the field—and we weren’t.”

“We’re not panicking. The lads are still giving everything, but we need to put the pieces together—scorecard pressure, partnerships, tight spells—and then things will start to go our way.”

Looking Ahead
Next weekend brings another massive fixture as Hoddesdon’s 2nd XI travel away to face a resurgent Sandridge CC 1st XI side currently sitting above them in 7th place on 173 points. It’s the sort of match that could define the direction of the club’s season—win it, and they close the gap; lose it, and the relegation threat becomes very real.

There were positives to take—Rocco Cuffaro’s patience, Asif Mohammed’s fire, Ashley Hill’s composure on his return to the side—but they need to be stitched together into a winning fabric. Right now, the 2nd XI are talented individuals; turning into a coherent unit is the challenge ahead.

Final Score:

Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI – 154 all out (48.1 overs)
Harpenden CC 3rd XI – 156/5 (19.3 overs)

Result: Harpenden won by 5 wickets
Points: Harpenden 30 pts | Hoddesdon 8 pts
Venue: Lowfield

Stay tuned to the website and social media for this week’s team news, pre-match build-up, and further reaction from around the club.

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