Broxbourne CC 2nd XI v Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI
HPCL Division 4A | Saturday 31 May 2025 | Mill Lane, Broxbourne
Broxbourne 2nd XI won by 8 wickets
Hoddesdon 188 all out (48.5 overs) | Broxbourne 189/2 (32.5 overs)

Broxbourne Take Derby Day Honours as Hoddesdon Left to Rue Missed Chances
It was derby day heartbreak for Hoddesdon 2nd XI on Saturday as Broxbourne 2nd XI produced a clinical eight-wicket win at Mill Lane — chasing down 188 with more than 17 overs to spare to leapfrog their local rivals in the HPCL Division 4A standings.

On a day when the Hoddesdon 1st XI were also in derby action across town, it was unfortunately the hosts who took the bragging rights in the 2nd XI fixture, led by a fine unbeaten 77 from opener Kegan Eales, supported by a fluent 48 from Chris Sargent and an aggressive cameo from Ollie Symms (38).

Earlier in the day, Adrian Lee’s Hoddesdon side had won the toss and elected to bat first — and it was the skipper himself who top-scored with a dogged 56 from 94 balls. But a steady stream of wickets — particularly through the middle overs — saw Hoddesdon fall from a promising 118/2 to 188 all out, a total that ultimately proved short of par on a fast outfield and true surface.

Toss: Lee Backs His Batters
With fine weather greeting both sides at Mill Lane, Hoddesdon skipper Adrian Lee wasted no time in opting to bat first on winning the toss — backing his top order to set a challenging target on what looked a typically good Broxbourne track. Bilal Ahmad and Adrian Lee strode to the crease to open for Hoddesdon, aiming to lay the foundations for a big score. Bilal, as ever, looked composed at the top, absorbing early pressure and punishing anything short, while Lee settled in with a series of crisp drives through the covers.

The pair added 73 for the first wicket, taking the score beyond the halfway mark of the innings. It was patient cricket — perhaps lacking fireworks, but exactly the kind of start needed to build a score in the 220–240 region.

However, the breakthrough came at a vital moment: Bilal (28 off 72) fell LBW to Broxbourne Kegan Eales, triggering a shift in momentum. Lee, undeterred, pressed on, bringing up his half-century in style. At 118/2 — following the dismissal of Lee— Hoddesdon looked well placed to push on with more than 15 overs to play. Lee finally departed for a well-made 56, undone by an LBW appeal off the bowling of Hayden.

Middle-Order Wobbles Prove Costly
But it was here that the innings faltered. Broxbourne introduced Luke Fishburn and Thomas Smith-Hughes, both of whom bowled with excellent discipline and changes of pace.

• Andrew Lewis (1) was caught by Terry White off the bowling of Thomas Smith-Hughes
• Tyrone Mazurura (23) was also caught attempting to accelerate by Terry White off the bowling of Thomas Smith-Hughes
• Adam Sturdy (12) and Rocco Cuffaro (20 off 32) couldn’t quite wrestle momentum back.

The middle and lower order were left chasing the game as wickets tumbled regularly:

• Rob Harcombe (15) caught Hayden, bowled Fishburn.
• Asif Mohammed (4) and Freddie Webb (0) quickly followed.
• The tail was wrapped up with little resistance, as Charlie Tackley remained unbeaten on 1 when Ollie Maughn (3) fell to signify the end of the innings.

The final total of 188 all out in 48.5 overs felt 30–40 runs light given the start they had enjoyed — a view shared by players and supporters alike at the interval.

Broxbourne’s Bowlers: Consistent, Clever, Clinical
Broxbourne’s bowling was a collective effort, with five bowlers claiming wickets, include 3 a piece for Hayden, Fishburn and Smith-Hughes.

Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy
Gianluca Silenti 7 26 0 3.71
Luke Fishburn 7.5 22 3 3.10
Jack Tumbridge 10 18 2 1.80
Kegan Eales 6 34 1 5.70
Tom Hayden 10 49 3 4.90
Thomas Smith-Hughes 8 35 3 4.40

The standout was Jack Tumbridge, whose nagging 10-over spell (2 for 18) included two maidens, which dried up runs and forced errors — while Hayden and Fishburn did the damage through the middle and death overs. In truth, the Hoddesdon batting department hadn't shone outside of the skippers effort and the efforts of Ahmad and Mazarura but the Broxbourne bowling attack was potent, effective and to be applauded.

Broxbourne’s Chase: Eales Anchors, Sargent & Symms Accelerate
Hoddesdon knew they needed early breakthroughs — and the opening spells from Andrew Lewis and Charlie Tackley were tidy but unrewarded. Kegan Eales played a superb anchor role — compiling an unbeaten 77 off 109 balls, with 7 fours. Chris Sargent (48 off 51) injected tempo, striking cleanly before falling to a sharp catch by Lewis off Freddie Webb to leave them well and truly ahead at 111-1.

Ollie Symms (38 off 33) followed with a lively innings full of intent — dispatching spinners and seamers alike before being caught by Rocco Cuffaro off Asif Mohammed.

At 178/2, the game was effectively won. Eales and Josh Goff (5)* knocked off the remaining runs, with Eales deservedly hitting the winning two runs in the 33rd over to seal an emphatic 8-wicket win.

Hoddesdon’s Bowling: Bright Spells, But No Early Inroads
Hoddesdon’s bowlers toiled hard but couldn’t find the early breakthroughs needed to exert scoreboard pressure: Both Webb and Mohammed picked up wickets, but Broxbourne’s top three had already taken the game away.

Skipper’s Verdict: Lessons to Learn
Post-match, skipper Adrian Lee reflected honestly:

"It’s a disappointing result — especially after the start we had with the bat. 118 for 2 should have been 220-plus, minimum, but we lost momentum. Credit to Broxbourne — they bowled well in the middle and batted very smartly.”

He continued:

"There’s no panic — we’ve had a positive start to the season overall, but we know we can be better. Next week is a big one — we’ll regroup and come back stronger.”

Impact on the Table
The result saw Broxbourne leapfrog Hoddesdon into 5th place:

Pos Team P W L Pts
1 Northwood Town 1st XI 4 4 0 120
2 Hitchin 2nd XI 4 3 1 102
3 Harpenden 3rd XI 4 3 1 91
4 Watford Town 2nd XI 4 2 2 88
5 Broxbourne 2nd XI 4 2 2 86
6 Sandridge 1st XI 4 2 2 84
7 Hoddesdon 2nd XI 4 2 2 71

With plenty of cricket still to play, Hoddesdon remain just 17 points off fourth — but will know they must convert strong positions into match-winning totals if they are to stay in the promotion mix. Two losses on the bounce will sting but this group are nothing but resilient and are at their very best when their backs are against the wall.

Next Up: The Perfect Response?
Hoddesdon return to Lowfield next Saturday aiming to put things right and secure a third victory of the season. A home tie against King's Langley is a golden opportunity to regroup, re-asses and re-affirm their credentials. The message from the camp: get back to doing the basics well. With players like Lee, Mazurura, Stafford, Mohammed and Harcombe all in good form, expect a fired-up response.

Summary: A Derby Day to Forget — But Still All to Play For
On a sun-drenched Saturday in Broxbourne, it was the hosts who took the honours — with the first team also succuming to Broxbourne at Lowfield, but this is a long campaign. Hoddesdon’s squad knows that there are many opportunities ahead to climb back up the table. The margins were fine — a few more partnerships, a few more breakthroughs, and the story could have been different. As it stands, it’s a stark reminder of the standards needed to compete consistently at the sharp end of Division 4A.

Broxbourne may have won the battle, but the war remains very much continues...

#GreenMachine