Hoddesdon Cricket Club’s 2nd XI finally found the result they had been fighting for on Saturday, beating Preston CC, Herts 2nd XI by seven wickets on a warm and morale-boosting afternoon at Lowfield. It has been a long, difficult and often bruising summer for Adrian Lee’s side, but this was a day when Hoddesdon did what they needed to do, held their nerve, and came away with a precious 30-point win.

The result does not suddenly change everything, and nobody inside the home dressing room will pretend that the 2nd XI are out of danger. Hoddesdon remain ninth in Division 4B, still in the mire and still with plenty of work to do, but they have moved to 182 points and opened a 27-point gap over bottom side Preston, who remain on 155 after taking just four points from the match. This was the sort of game Hoddesdon simply had to win, and the manner of victory should give everyone a lift. Preston won the toss and chose to bat first, but Hoddesdon bowled with real discipline, energy and belief to dismiss them for 118 in 32 overs, before Adrian Lee and Freddie Hawkins guided the chase home with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand.

Victory For The 2nd XI

Lee finished unbeaten on 37 from 56 balls, striking six boundaries, while Freddie Hawkins made a composed and mature 38 not out from 69 balls, also with six fours. Together they turned a slightly awkward position at 39-3 into a calm, controlled and hugely satisfying win, taking Hoddesdon to 119-3 in 33.4 overs.

“It feels good, and I think the lads deserved that,” said skipper Adrian Lee. “We have taken a few punches this season and we have had to front up week after week, so to finally get over the line was a massive boost. It was not flashy, but it was exactly what we needed, because we bowled properly, chased sensibly and showed a bit of character.”

The day started perfectly for Hoddesdon’s bowlers, with Charlie Tackley setting the tone in an outstanding new-ball spell. Tackley removed Pushan Chakraborty for 6, bowled Oscar Dunham Welch for 5, and later returned to finish with excellent figures of 4-16 from nine overs, including three maidens. That was a top-class return from a player who has spent time around the 1st XI this season and brought real quality to the 2nd XI attack. Tackley was accurate, patient and threatening throughout, forcing Preston to take risks they never looked fully comfortable taking.

Charlie Tackley Took Four Wickets

Austin Bean also deserves huge credit for another eye-catching display with the ball. The young pace bowler continues to impress across senior cricket, and his 3-43 from seven overs included the key wickets of Preston captain David Fleckney, Arundeep Natt and wicketkeeper Luke Ponder. Bean’s dismissal of Fleckney was particularly important, with the Preston skipper looking capable of digging in before he was caught and bowled for 23 from 40 balls. Later, Bean removed Natt for 12 and Ponder for 13, stopping Preston from building the sort of middle-order partnership that might have dragged them towards a more awkward total.

Austin Bean Was Brilliant With Ball In Hand, Taking Three Wickets

Freddie Webb was another major figure in the bowling performance, taking 3-18 from six overs and wrapping up the innings in impressive style. He removed Preston’s top scorer Archie McIntosh for 33, then cleaned up Bhavin Patel and Ariful Islam as the visitors were bowled out for 118. Mickl Billson did not get a wicket, but his 10 overs for 37 played an important part in the overall control of the innings. Mick had earned his call-up after taking four wickets for the 3rd XI the previous weekend, and he gave Adrian Lee exactly what a captain wants in a low-scoring game: overs, control and pressure.

Father And Son Pairing Paul And Freddie Webb Both Contributed

Preston were 12-1 after Chakraborty fell, 25-2 when Oscar Dunham Welch went, and 58-3 when Fleckney was removed. At that point, the innings still had room to grow, especially with McIntosh batting well, but Hoddesdon kept taking wickets at important moments and never allowed Preston to break free. McIntosh’s 33 from 50 balls, with four fours and one six, was the best individual batting performance in the Preston innings. He helped Preston reach 89-4, but when Freddie Webb trapped him lbw, the visitors lost momentum quickly and never truly recovered. From 89-3, Preston slipped to 89-5, then 106-6, 107-7 and 113-8. The lower order managed to edge the score up to 118, but once Freddie Webb claimed the last two wickets, Hoddesdon had given themselves a very realistic target on a Lowfield outfield that remained quick despite the recent dry spell.

For all the good work with the ball, the chase still needed care. Hoddesdon have been in enough difficult positions this season to know that 119 can become tricky very quickly if early wickets fall, and Preston’s bowlers had enough in their attack to make the home side work for every run. The start was not ideal, with Connor Hunt falling for a first-ball duck, caught by Luke Ponder off Bhavin Patel, and Hoddesdon were suddenly 1-5. Paul Webb battled for 12 from 37 balls before being lbw to Tom Murrell, and when Dan Hawkins was lbw to Ariful Islam for 22, Hoddesdon were 39-3 and the contest was very much alive. Dan’s 22 from 39 balls included five boundaries and helped steady the innings after the early blow. It was a useful contribution from a player returning to help the cause, and while he will have been frustrated not to go further, his runs helped ensure Hoddesdon did not panic after the loss of two early wickets.

From there, the match became the Adrian Lee and Freddie Hawkins show. Lee batted with the experience and authority of a captain who knew exactly what was needed, while Freddie showed excellent temperament to stay with him, absorb pressure and put away the bad ball when it came. Their partnership was not reckless, rushed or frantic. It was calm, mature and exactly suited to the situation, with both players understanding that Preston would have to keep taking wickets if they were going to drag themselves back into the match. Lee’s unbeaten 37 was full of responsibility, while Freddie’s unbeaten 38 was one of the most encouraging parts of the day. The young batter looked composed throughout, and his ability to finish the game alongside his captain should do him the world of good.

Another Father And Son Pairing In Dan And Freddie Hawkins, The Latter Grabbing 38 Runs

“I thought Freddie was excellent,” said Lee. “He played the situation really well, and that is not always easy when you are chasing a smallish target with a lot riding on it. He showed maturity, he trusted his game, and I was delighted to be there with him at the end.”

Preston did not make it easy. Bhavin Patel bowled superbly, taking 1-4 from 5.4 overs with two maidens, while Tom Murrell gave up only 31 from his 10 overs and picked up the wicket of Paul Webb. Ariful Islam also bowled well for 1-28 from eight overs, and Joey Kelsall’s six-over spell cost 26. Preston fought hard with the ball and, had they found one more breakthrough in the middle of the chase, the afternoon might have become far more nervous for Hoddesdon. Instead, Lee and Hawkins shut the door. They ticked off the target steadily, made sure the scoreboard kept moving, and eventually completed the job with more than 16 overs unused and seven wickets in hand.

The win was Hoddesdon’s second of the season and their first for several weeks, and it lifts them above Preston with a little breathing space at the foot of the table. The wider picture remains tough, with Stevenage still 51 points ahead in eighth and Northampton Exiles on 243 in seventh, but this result keeps Hoddesdon fighting and gives them something to build on. Old Albanian continue to lead Division 4B with 351 points, just ahead of Boxmoor on 350, while Luton Town & Indians sit third on 342. At the bottom, Hoddesdon’s 182 points now place them 27 clear of Preston, and although survival remains a steep challenge, Saturday proved that there is still life in the dressing room.

Division 4B Shows Hoddesdon Still Have Work To Do

“We are still in a difficult position” Lee added. “But you can only start a run with one win, and that is what we have done. We have to take the confidence from this, keep believing, and try to put another performance together next week.”

That fighting message matters. This was about a side that has had to absorb defeat after defeat finding a way to enjoy a Saturday again, and there was a clear sense of relief around Lowfield when the winning runs were completed. There was also a sense of reward for players who have kept turning up, kept taking responsibility and kept representing the club properly during a difficult campaign. The 2nd XI have had selection challenges, injuries, availability problems and some heavy defeats, but this was a reminder that persistence still matters. The bowling unit did the damage first, with Tackley, Bean and Freddie Webb sharing all ten Preston wickets. The batting then finished the job, with Lee and Freddie Hawkins showing exactly the composure that has sometimes been missing in pressure moments this season.

Hoddesdon remain in trouble, and there is no point pretending otherwise. But this was a proper win, a deserved win and a badly needed win, and it gives the 2nd XI a platform to keep fighting until the table says they cannot. Hoddesdon found a way. After weeks of frustration, near misses and heavy defeats, the 2nd XI finally had their Saturday at Lowfield, and that winning feeling will taste very sweet indeed.

Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI beat Preston CC, Herts 2nd XI by seven wickets
Preston CC, Herts 2nd XI 118 all out from 32 overs
Hoddesdon CC 2nd XI 119-3 from 33.4 overs
Hoddesdon bowling: Charlie Tackley 4-16, Austin Bean 3-43, Freddie Webb 3-18
Hoddesdon batting: Freddie Hawkins 38 not out, Adrian Lee 37 not out, Dan Hawkins 22

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