MATCH REPORT: Hoddesdon 2nd XI vs Watford Town 2nd XI
HPCL Division 4A | Saturday 24 May 2025 | Lowfield Ground, Hoddesdon
Watford Town CC (2nd XI) won by 5 wickets

Hoddesdon’s perfect start to the season came to an abrupt end on Saturday as a disciplined and determined Watford Town 2nd XI left Lowfield with a five-wicket win and a full haul of 30 league points. Despite a fine half-century from veteran batter Phil Stafford, Hoddesdon never quite hit top gear with bat or ball — and were made to pay by a Watford side that executed their chase with calm efficiency.

On a bright, but blustery afternoon in Hertfordshire, skipper Adrian Lee won the toss and, backed by two wins from two, elected to bat first. But what followed was a sluggish innings that never quite settled, before Watford’s reply — steered by the classy Ashwin Sooraj Pulla (70) and Ibrar Hanif (45) — saw the visitors home.

It was a result that tightens the top end of the Division 4A table. Hoddesdon, previously unbeaten, now sit third on 63 points — behind Hitchin 2nd XI and Northwood Town 1st XI, both with perfect records after three matches.

First Innings: Stafford Shines as Others Stumble
With confidence high after wins over Sandridge and Hatfield, Hoddesdon would have hoped for a strong foundation from openers Bilal Ahmad and Adrian Lee. Instead, Watford came out with immediate intensity. Bilal was the first to fall,caught off Haroon Bhatti for 7 in the 5th over, and the next phase saw Tyrone Mazurura and Lee attempt a repair job. Mazurura looked in good touch, punching boundaries on both sides, but just as he began to settle, he too perished — caught off the bowling of Waj Rajpurkar for 13 and Lee followed soon after — caught having contributed 22 runs, but he will be disappointed after looking well set.

That brought Stafford together with Rocco Cuffaro at 3 down. Stafford, calm and measured, was in from the moment he took guard. While others had misread the pace of the wicket, the experienced man about town adapted swiftly, waiting on the ball, playing late, and driving with precision.

As wickets continued to fall around him — Cuffaro (7), Adam Sturdy (2), and Ross Angelini (13) all departing to the nagging accuracy of Ubaid Shahid — Stafford stood tall.

His knock of 60 from 90 balls included 6 boundaries and 2 towering sixes, one a sweetly-timed lofted drive that had the Lowfield crowd on their feet. It was a lesson in composure, a veteran's knock that held the innings together and offered at least a sniff of a competitive total.

When he finally fell in the 40th over, Hoddesdon’s hopes of a late flourish fell with him. The tail added just a handful of runs as the hosts were bowled out for 150 in 43.3 overs — a total that always looked slightly under par. Purves looked assured with a classy ten runs from 23 balls but alas he ran out of partners for the dance.

Watford’s Bowlers Share the Spoils
Watford’s bowling performance was built on pressure and consistency. All six bowlers chipped in with at least one wicket, but it was Ubaid Shahid (4 for 32 from 10 overs) who caused the most damage. His clever changes of pace and subtle drift tied down Hoddesdon’s middle order.

Elsewhere, the support cast of Bhatti, Hazarika, Rajpurkar, Usman Ahmed and Syed kept things tight and exploited any risk-taking. The five extra maidens and excellent over-rate contributed to a relentless squeeze that never let Hoddesdon get away.

Second Innings: Pulla and Hanif Calmly See It Home
Defending 150 on a good track is never easy — but Hoddesdon started brightly. Adam Sturdy and Charlie Tackley bowled well up top, and it was Tackley who struck first, removing Abubaker Shahid early for 7 thanks to a fine catch by the aforementioned dandy, Stafford.

At 14 for 1, there was a glimmer of hope. But Gunjan Hazarika (21) and Ashwin Sooraj Pulla (70) began to settle in, soaking up pressure and rotating the strike. Hazarika eventually fell to Sturdy — caught after a marathon 48-ball stay — but the damage had been done: the initial storm was weathered.

Then came the partnership that won the game — Pulla and Ibrar Hanif added 82 runs for the third wicket, playing with assurance and intent. Pulla, especially, was classy. His 70 off 99 balls was the standout knock of the match — 9 boundaries, effortless placement, and a clear understanding of the target situation. Hanif provided the perfect foil — watchful early, then increasingly expansive. His 45 from 63 balls included 5 boundaries and featured excellent footwork against the array of tactics thrown at him by skipper Lee.

By the time Pulla was finally caught by Ahmad off the bowling of Mohammed, the score was 145 for 4 and the result was a formality. Tyrone Mazurura picked up a consolation wicket in the 39th over — a sharp catch by Tackley — but Watford’s lower order remained calm. Fittingly, it was a wide ball that finally awarded the visitors the win, perhaps the sign of the type of afternoon it had been for the 2nd XI.

Hoddesdon’s Bowling: Effort Without Reward
There were moments where Hoddesdon’s attack looked threatening — particularly in the first 12 overs — but they struggled to find sustained pressure.

• Adam Sturdy (10-3-30-1) bowled with great control and deserved more.
• Asif Mohammed (8-2-32-1) got good shape but was forced into containment.
• Charlie Tackley (7-0-31-1) and Freddie Webb (9-2-38-1) bowled well in patches but couldn’t break the back of Watford’s middle order.
• Adrian Lee tried several combinations but was ultimately left a few runs light with no scoreboard pressure to capitalise on.

Post-Match Reaction: Lessons, Not Regrets
Speaking after the match, Hoddesdon captain Adrian Lee remained pragmatic:

“We’re disappointed, of course — but credit to Watford. They bowled well, fielded tightly, and chased smartly. We just didn’t get enough on the board. Phil batted beautifully and gave us something to work with, but we needed one or two more to go big.”

He added:

“It’s still a good start to the season — two wins from three and a solid base. We regroup, we learn, and we move on to next week.”

Around the Grounds: Table Tightens at the Top
The loss means Hoddesdon drop from joint-top to third in the Division 4A standings, with 63 points from three matches:

Pos Team P W L Pts
1 Hitchin CC - 2nd XI 3 3 0 90
2 Northwood Town CC - 1st XI 3 3 0 90
3 Hoddesdon CC - Saturday 2nd XI 3 2 1 63
4 Harpenden CC - 3rd XI 3 2 1 61
5 Watford Town CC - 2nd XI 3 2 1 58

Watford’s victory sees them leap into the top five, and with momentum on their side, they’ll be one to watch. Meanwhile, Hoddesdon will look to bounce back next weekend — and return to winning ways. However, an away game against local rivals Broxbourne 2nd XI will be no pushover and Lee's men will need to rediscover their form to grab all the points.

Match Summary
Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI – 150 all out (43.3 overs)
Phil Stafford 60 (90), Ross Angelini 13; Ubaid Shahid 4-32, Danyal Syed 2-30

Watford Town CC 2nd XI – 151/5 (38.1 overs)
Ashwin Sooraj Pulla 70 (99), Ibrar Hanif 45 (63); Sturdy, Tackley, Mohammed, Webb, Mazurura all 1 wicket each

Result – Watford Town 2nd XI won by 5 wickets
Points – Hoddesdon 8, Watford 30

You can view the full scorecard by clicking HERE.

Star Performer: Phil Stafford – Class in the Chaos
While the result went against Hoddesdon, it’s impossible to ignore the poise and professionalism of Phil Stafford’s innings. In a match where no other Hoddesdon batter passed 22, Stafford’s 60 from 90 balls was a standout — patient, composed, and technically excellent. He handled Watford’s spinners with aplomb, showed good judgment against the seamers, and kept the scoreboard ticking.

In a season that will demand experienced heads in tight moments, Stafford showed just why he remains such a valuable asset.

#GreenMachine