Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI v Kings Langley CC 1st XI
HPCL Division 4A | Saturday 7 June 2025 | Lowfield, Hoddesdon | 12:00pm Start

Green Machine Out to Bounce Back as Kings Langley Visit Lowfield
This Saturday sees Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI return to familiar surroundings at Lowfield, looking to get their season back on track as they host Kings Langley CC 1st XI in HPCL Division 4A action.

After last weekend’s derby day disappointment away at Broxbourne, Adrian Lee’s side will be eager to produce a positive response in front of their home faithful — and with Kings Langley still seeking a second win of the season, this shapes up as an important fixture for both clubs as we enter week five of the league campaign.

Form Guide: A Big Opportunity for Hoddy
Hoddesdon 2s currently sit 7th in the Division 4A table on 66 points — with two wins and two defeats from their opening four matches. The campaign began brightly with strong wins over Sandridge and Hatfield & Crusaders, but back-to-back defeats against Watford Town and Broxbourne have pegged back momentum slightly — making this weekend’s clash a prime opportunity to rediscover that winning formula.

The current form guide highlights the contrast in recent results:

Hoddesdon: Win, Win, Loss, Loss

Kings Langley: Loss, Win Loss, Loss

League Table: Hoddy in the Mix — But Time to Push On
After four completed rounds, Division 4A remains wide open beneath the top two of Northwood Town 1st XI and Hitchin 2nd XI.

Here’s how the standings look heading into this weekend:

Pos Team P W L Pts
1 Northwood Town CC 1st XI 4 4 0 120
2 Hitchin CC 2nd XI 4 3 1 102
3 Harpenden CC 3rd XI 4 3 1 91
4 Watford Town CC 2nd XI 4 2 2 88
5 Broxbourne CC 2nd XI 4 2 2 86
6 Sandridge CC 1st XI 4 2 2 84
7 Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI 4 2 2 66
8 Kings Langley CC 1st XI 4 1 3 56
9 Old Haberdashers' CC 1st XI 4 1 3 55
10 Hatfield & Crusaders CC 1st XI 4 0 4 44

A win this weekend could see Hoddesdon vault back into the top five — and with plenty of head-to-heads between the sides above them to come, there’s still every chance for the Green Machine to mount a serious promotion push.

Saturday’s Visitors: Kings Langley Seeking Spark
Kings Langley CC 1st XI head to Lowfield on the back of a tough start to the season. Their lone victory so far came in week two at home to Old Haberdashers — but since then it’s been five successive defeats in all competitions, and they currently occupy 8th spot with 56 points. Despite that, Kings Langley will be dangerous opponents — capable of big scores with bat and ball when things click. Expect them to arrive with a nothing-to-lose mentality, knowing that another defeat could leave them in the lower reaches of the table. Hoddesdon will need to be sharp and professional from ball one.

The Squad: Lee’s XI Ready to Respond
Skipper Adrian Lee once again leads a strong, balanced Hoddesdon XI this weekend. There are some welcome returns to the lineup — and with the side buoyed by a positive atmosphere in training this week, there’s plenty of belief they can deliver the goods on Saturday.

Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI – Selected Team v Kings Langley 1st XI:

1. Barney Heard
2. Adrian Lee (c)
3. Tyrone Mazurura
4. Tyler Burroughs
5. Rocco Cuffaro
6. Rob Harcombe
7. Benjamin Strong
8. Joe Robinson (wk)
9. Louis Purves
10. Freddie Webb
11. Charlie Tackley

Key Players to Watch
Adrian Lee
The captain continues to lead from the front — a composed 56 at Broxbourne underlined his form and determination to set the tone for the team. Another key innings could set up victory here.

Tyrone Mazurura
Always dangerous with the bat, Tyrone has the ability to change the course of a game in a few overs. This could be the day he produces a match-winning contribution.

Rob Harcombe
"Sharky" remains central to Hoddy’s plans — a stroke playing middle-order option and a clever change bowler, Harcombe’s all-round game could be vital.

Charlie Tackley & Freddie Webb
With conditions at Lowfield often favouring the bowler as the day progresses, these two have a proven track record of taking key wickets and applying pressure.

Barney Heard & Tyler Burroughs
Both offer exciting potential at the top of the order. If they can lay a platform, Hoddesdon’s powerful middle can do serious damage. Tyler is a crashing, barn storming batsman who looks to score quickly and Heard is also promoted from the 3rd XI, looking to make a name for himself. Ben Strong is the third man up from the 3s and he is a good all rounder who is especially strong in the field, showing a lot of promise.

Captain’s View: Eyes on a Big Home Performance
Ahead of the match, skipper Adrian Lee said:

“We know where we’re at as a team — we’ve played some excellent cricket this season but we didn’t quite get it right last week. The message is simple: let’s bounce back strongly at home.”

“Kings Langley will come here hungry — but we back ourselves at Lowfield. If we stick to our plans and play positive cricket, we can take a big step forward this weekend.”

The Importance of a Response
There’s no denying that last week’s defeat at Broxbourne stung. After a promising opening stand and Lee’s half-century, Hoddy let a strong position slip and ultimately couldn’t contain the chase. But this is a side with resilience. The squad has gelled impressively this season — and with the likes of Rocco Cuffaro, Ben Strong, Joe Robinson and Louis Purves all offering impact potential, there’s every reason for optimism this Saturday. The dressing room knows: deliver a strong team performance here, and the table will look much healthier by Saturday evening.

What to Expect at Lowfield
Conditions at Lowfield this season have generally been good for batting — but with enough assistance for the bowlers if they maintain their disciplines.

• First 15 overs: key for establishing rhythm — and an area Hoddesdon will target for early control.
• Middle overs: an opportunity for spinners to exert pressure.
• Finishing overs: can be high-scoring if wickets are in hand.
• A solid all-round performance — built on partnerships and backed by sharp fielding — will be the recipe for success.

Final Word: A Crucial Afternoon Ahead
After a mixed opening four weeks, this Saturday feels like an important staging post in Hoddesdon’s season. A victory would move Adrian Lee’s men back into the chasing pack — and build momentum heading into a summer of key fixtures. With the squad hungry to deliver, the supporters set to turn out in numbers, and the players fully focused, expect a fired-up Green Machine determined to make Lowfield a fortress once again.

Key Details

• Date: Saturday 7 June 2025
• Start Time: 12:00pm
• Venue: Lowfield, Hoddesdon
• Competition: HPCL Division 4A
• Current League Position: Hoddesdon 7th | Kings Langley 8th

#GreenMachine