Old Haberdashers 1st XI v Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI

HPCL Division 4A – Saturday 23rd August 2025
Old Haberdashers won by 10 wickets
Hoddesdon 2nd XI: 47 all out (16.4 overs)
Old Haberdashers 1st XI: 48/0 (8.2 overs)

A Day to Forget for Hoddesdon’s 2nd XI as Relegation Fears Grow

If ever there was a match that encapsulated the struggles of Hoddesdon Cricket Club’s 2nd XI this season, it came on Saturday afternoon at Old Haberdashers. In what was billed as a must-win clash between the bottom two sides in HPCL Division 4A, Hoddesdon produced one of their most disappointing performances of recent years, collapsing to 47 all out in under 17 overs before seeing Old Haberdashers canter to a 10-wicket win inside just 8.2 overs.

It was a brutal day for the visitors, ravaged by injuries and absentees, and with skipper Adrian Lee away on holiday, the captaincy burden fell on the shoulders of Ollie Maughan. Despite his best efforts to rally his depleted troops, the stand-in captain could do little to stop what quickly became a rout. Even the return of familiar faces like Dan Hawkins and Ross Maughan – drafted in to provide batting experience and stability – could not turn the tide. Instead, Hoddesdon produced a batting display that can only be described as catastrophic, with wickets tumbling in clusters and Old Haberdashers’ Rhys Jenkins running riot with the ball, finishing with extraordinary figures of 7 for 14.

The result leaves Hoddesdon 9th in the table, now locked in a dogfight for survival with just two fixtures remaining.

Pre-Match Context: A Relegation Six-Pointer

Heading into the game, both sides were under immense pressure. Hoddesdon sat 9th in the table, only just ahead of Old Haberdashers, who were rooted to the bottom. With Hitchin and Broxbourne pulling away at the top and mid-table sides like Kings Langley and Harpenden relatively safe, this was a game that looked destined to play a major role in deciding who would go down. The fixture poster plastered across Hoddesdon’s social channels billed it as a big day – a chance for the Green Machine to show some fight and secure breathing room. But from the moment Hoddesdon won the toss and chose to bat, things started going horribly wrong.

Hoddesdon’s Batting Collapse: 47 All Out

Hoddesdon’s innings never got going. The tone was set almost immediately as Bilal Ahmad was dismissed for just 1, caught by Amit Gudka off the bowling of Jenkins. From there, the wickets fell like dominoes. Ross Maughan was bowled for 0 two balls later, Jenkins striking again. Daniel Hawkins followed soon after, also removed by Jenkins without scoring. Freddie Hawkins battled bravely for 16 balls, but his resistance ended with a duck, caught by Lewis Jenkins off Jack Davis. At 3 for 3, Hoddesdon were in utter disarray. By the time the rteturning Tyrone Mazarura (4) and George Kimberley (0) had also departed, the scoreboard read 9 for 6 – an almost unthinkable position in a match of this magnitude.

A brief flicker of resistance came from Benjamin Strong (12 from 21 balls) and looked, for a short while, like he might restore some order. But once he too was bowled by Jenkins, the innings unravelled once more. Oliver Maughan (10 from 22) played a few defiant strokes, while Charlie Tackley (5) and Freddie Webb (3 not out) tried to inch the total up, but wickets continued to tumble at alarming speed.

Extras – mainly wides – proved to be Hoddesdon’s third-highest contributor with 12. That statistic alone told the sorry story.

By the time Tackley was bowled by Hasit Mehta, Hoddesdon were all out for just 47 in 16.4 overs. It was a score that left the travelling supporters stunned and the Old Haberdashers players jubilant.

Bowling Blitz: Rhys Jenkins Runs Riot

The hero of the day for Old Haberdashers was undoubtedly Rhys Jenkins, whose devastating spell ripped through Hoddesdon’s fragile batting order. His final figures of 7 wickets for 14 runs from 8 overs were the stuff of club cricket legend – accurate, relentless, and unplayable on a wicket offering just enough seam movement. He was well supported by Hasit Mehta (2 for 16) and Jack Davis (1 for 15), who chipped in with key wickets to ensure Hoddesdon never settled.

Old Haberdashers Cruise to Victory

Chasing just 48 for victory, Old Haberdashers approached their innings with confidence and aggression. Ben Peacock (19 not out from 21 balls, 4 fours) and Jenkins – now turning hero with the bat – struck 28 not out from 29 balls with 5 boundaries to guide their side home without loss. The chase took just 8.2 overs, underlining the gulf between the sides on the day. Hoddesdon’s bowlers toiled without reward, with Tackley, Freddie Webb, Strong, and Ramachandran unable to make any breakthrough.

A Captain’s Nightmare

For stand-in skipper Ollie Maughan, it was a day that will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons. Taking on the role in the absence of Adrian Lee, Maughan did his best to steady the ship with 10 runs – one of only two Hoddesdon players to reach double figures – but he could do little to stem the collapse around him. His tactical options were limited by the sheer lack of runs on the board, and the fact that Hoddesdon fielded such a patched-up XI spoke volumes about the depth of unavailability currently plaguing the club.

League Standings: Hoddesdon in Trouble

The defeat leaves Hoddesdon stuck in 9th place on 191 points, just ahead of Old Haberdashers in 10th with 147. Crucially, Hoddesdon’s run-in now looks perilous. With only two games remaining, their margin for error is non-existent and reliant on results elsewhere. Relegation now looks a formality.

Key Turning Points

• Early wickets: Hoddesdon’s top four of Ahmad, Ross Maughan, Daniel Hawkins, and Freddie Hawkins managed just 1 run between them. The match was effectively lost inside the first five overs.
• Jenkins’ spell: His relentless accuracy left Hoddesdon clueless. Seven wickets in a Division 4A clash is a phenomenal achievement.
• Lack of partnerships: Hoddesdon’s highest stand of the day was just 12 runs. In contrast, Old Haberdashers knocked off the entire target in one unbeaten partnership.

After a season of inconsistency, this match was supposed to be the one where the 2nd XI showed their fight and quality against the only team below them in the standings. Instead, it turned into one of their heaviest defeats in recent memory. The mood around the camp was sombre after the match, with players and committee members alike acknowledging the scale of the task now required to preserve Division 4A status.

Looking Ahead: Two Cup Finals for Survival

With just two matches left, every game now carries the weight of a cup final for Hoddesdon. Adrian Lee is expected to return for the run-in, which will provide much-needed leadership and stability, but questions remain over availability and whether the side can find the resolve to bounce back. Games against Hitchin and Harpenden will not be easy and a miracle is now required.

Final Thoughts

This was a day that will sting for a long time. A side shorn of regulars, captained by a stand-in leader, and facing mounting injury and availability problems, Hoddesdon 2nd XI simply failed to turn up in a game of huge importance. Old Haberdashers, to their credit, seized their chance with ruthless efficiency, and Jenkins’ performance with bat and ball will go down as one of the standout individual displays of the HPCL season. For Hoddesdon, though, the questions pile up. Can they recover in time to save themselves? Can Adrian Lee inspire one last push for safety? Or has this defeat consigned them to the drop?

What’s certain is that performances like this cannot be repeated if survival is to be secured. With two games left, the Green Machine must rediscover their fight – or else Division 5 cricket awaits in 2026.

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