Match Report: Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI vs Broxbourne CC 2nd XI – Saturday 2 August 2025, Lowfield

On a warm Saturday afternoon at Lowfield, Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI welcomed high-flying Broxbourne 2nd XI for a crucial HPCL Division 4A encounter. With both teams needing the points for very different reasons—Hoddesdon battling relegation, Broxbourne chasing promotion—it was always going to be a tense affair. Ultimately, it was the visitors who held their nerve, chasing down 116 to win by four wickets in 32.3 overs, despite some spirited resistance from the hosts. The defeat leaves Hoddesdon in 9th place on 167 points, while Broxbourne’s 30-point haul solidifies their grip on third in the table.

A Toss That Set the Tone
Broxbourne captain Josh Goff won the toss and had little hesitation in inserting Hoddesdon on a pitch that offered a tinge of green and some early nibble. The 12:00pm start meant conditions were fresh, and with a varied bowling attack at his disposal, Goff backed his seamers to exploit any assistance. For Adrian Lee and his side, it meant a test of temperament—something that, unfortunately for the home fans, proved to be their undoing.

Hoddesdon’s Rocky Road to 115
With the bat, Hoddesdon never truly settled. The innings began shakily when captain Adrian Lee (4 off 7) was caught by Terry White off Joss Rodman with the score on just 9. Bilal Ahmad, usually a key contributor, followed soon after for 7, bowled Kegan Eales. Phil Stafford’s brief stay ended with a duck—also falling to Eales, and suddenly, Hoddesdon were tottering at 25 for 3.

Johnny Munday tried to steady the ship with a gutsy 13 off 39 balls, but when he too succumbed—leg-before to the ever-threatening Eales—Hoddesdon had slumped to 37 for 4, the innings in disarray.

The middle order had some fight, but wickets continued to tumble. Andrew Lewis was the standout batter for Hoddesdon, top-scoring with a fluent 39 off 52 balls, including six boundaries and a cleanly struck six. His innings was a mix of elegant timing and gritty defiance, and while he lost partners regularly, he gave the innings some respectability.

Finlay Higgs stuck around for a patient 12 off 38, helping Lewis in a 43-run partnership that threatened to spark a recovery. But once both fell—Higgs caught by Terry White off Thomas Smith-Hughes and Lewis caught by captain Josh Goff off Tom Hayden—the tail was exposed.

Asif Mohammed added some late spark with a useful 16 off 14 (3 fours), but there was no last-wicket heroics this week. Freddie Webb (1 off 16) was caught by Tumbridge off his own delivery, and Hoddesdon were bowled out for 115 in just 34.3 overs.

Broxbourne’s Brilliant Bowling Unit
Broxbourne’s bowling performance was as clinical as it was relentless. Kegan Eales, with his tidy lines and subtle variations, finished with 3 for 34 from 9 overs. His accuracy was a constant problem for the batters, and he picked up the crucial early wickets that put Hoddesdon on the back foot.

Equally impressive was Thomas Smith-Hughes. The all-rounder’s contribution of 3 for 22 from 9 overs included a maiden, and he extracted good movement throughout. Every time Hoddesdon looked to build momentum, Smith-Hughes was there to nip it in the bud.

Support came in the form of Joss Rodman (1 for 22), Tom Hayden (2 for 13), and Tumbridge (1 for 0 in just 3 balls)—a complete bowling unit that shared the workload efficiently.

Broxbourne’s bowling plan was simple and effective: bowl full, bowl straight, keep the pressure on. And it worked.

Hoddesdon Fight Back with the Ball
Defending just 115, Hoddesdon needed a miracle—or at least a blistering start with the new ball. What they got was close.

Finlay Higgs, bowling with good rhythm and a tight off-stump line, struck in the very first over as Aran Sivakumar fell for a duck, caught by Johnny Munday. Higgs then removed the dangerous Warren Pegg (24 off 32) to leave Broxbourne on 51 for 2 and give Hoddesdon a sniff.

The key breakthrough, however, proved elusive.

Broxbourne’s rock at number three, Joss Rodman, played the defining innings of the match. His 54* off 88 balls wasn’t explosive, but it was priceless. He soaked up pressure, rotated the strike, and ensured one end remained secure. His mature knock, sprinkled with three boundaries, blunted Hoddesdon’s efforts and was ultimately the difference between the sides.

Charlie Tackley bowled with good pace and was rewarded with 2 for 25, including the scalps of Josh Goff and Ollie Symms. Johnny Munday picked up Tom Hayden, and Higgs completed his 10-over spell with excellent figures of 2 for 33. But Hoddesdon simply didn’t have enough runs to defend.

Late wickets gave the home side hope—a flurry saw Broxbourne fall from 57 for 2 to 73 for 6—but it was too little too late. Robin Glassberg (20* off 43) played the perfect foil to Rodman, nudging and nurdling Broxbourne over the line with more than seven overs to spare.

Key Moments

• Early Strikes by Eales & Smith-Hughes: Both bowlers were exceptional, striking in their first overs and pinning Hoddesdon down in the Powerplay.
• Andrew Lewis’s 39: The best innings of the match for the home side—gritty, composed, and technically assured.
• Rodman’s Match-Winning 54:* A classy knock that held the chase together. Calm under pressure and decisive with his strokeplay.
• Late Flurry of Wickets: From 57-2 to 73-6, Hoddesdon roared back—but lacked the runs to press for a famous comeback.

Captain’s Corner
Hoddesdon skipper Adrian Lee will be frustrated that his side couldn’t post a more competitive total after showing flashes of resistance with the bat and ball. “There was some fight there, particularly from Andrew [Lewis] and Finlay [Higgs], and I thought the bowlers responded well,” he said after the game. “But at the end of the day, 115 was never going to be enough. We’ve got to find more with the bat, especially in the top five.”

Lee was also quick to credit Broxbourne’s efficiency: “They’re third in the league for a reason. Disciplined, smart, well-drilled—and Rodman played a really classy knock.”

Table Talk
The defeat leaves Hoddesdon 2nd XI stuck in 9th place on 167 points, ahead of only Old Haberdashers 1st XI (97 pts). With just a few rounds remaining, survival is still possible but will require a strong finish and results elsewhere going their way.

Broxbourne, meanwhile, move to 302 points and sit just behind Northwood Town and Hitchin. With form, momentum, and a well-rounded side, they remain strong contenders for promotion.

What’s Next?
For Hoddesdon, the road doesn’t get much easier with an away trip to 5th placed Kings Langley. With time running out in the season and just one team below them, every match now takes on the weight of a final. They’ll need their senior players to step up with the bat and hope for continued sharpness with the ball if they are to claw their way out of danger.

Broxbourne, on the other hand, look primed for a strong finish. With their depth in batting and variety in bowling, they’ll back themselves to challenge for one of the top two spots and potentially secure a return to Division 3.

Final Word
Lowfield saw a game that encapsulated much of Hoddesdon’s season—flashes of brilliance, genuine effort, but not quite enough to get across the line. Broxbourne did what good teams do: they capitalised on mistakes, held their nerve, and had the standout performer in Joss Rodman. As the HPCL Division 4A season edges toward its climax, one team is dreaming of promotion, while the other is fighting tooth and nail to avoid the drop.

And in the middle of it all, cricket delivered another absorbing chapter.

#GreenMachine