Mill Hill Village CC 4th XI vs Hoddesdon CC Saturday 3rd XI
Burtonhole Lane, London – Saturday 14 June 2025

Mill Hill Village CC (161/4 in 30.4 overs) beat Hoddesdon CC (160 all out in 37.0 overs) by 6 wickets
Toss: Mill Hill won and chose to field first
Captains: Ken Shakoor (Mill Hill), Dan Hawkins (Hoddesdon)

Clinical Mill Hill Hold Nerve to Down Spirited Hoddesdon
The top of the table met the lower end of the pack on a pleasant June afternoon in North London, but for large parts of the match, you wouldn’t have known which side was top and which side had been struggling for consistency. In a tight contest played in good spirits, it was table-topping Mill Hill Village CC 4th XI who eventually emerged victorious, chasing down 160 with six wickets in hand and more than 9 overs to spare. But the story of the game wasn’t as comfortable as the scorecard might suggest.

It was a match full of drama, courage, and standout individual performances, none more so than Darshana Koerthichandra’s sublime 63 for Hoddesdon, or Scott Higgins’ tight 1 for 17 with the ball. The game also saw contributions from a reshuffled Hoddesdon side led once again by the charismatic Dan Hawkins, who continues to captain with heart and commitment, even amidst weekly squad disruptions.

Conditions and Toss
The weather gods played their part this week, offering a dry window for cricket after last weeks persistent drizzle. The pitch at Burtonhole Lane looked firm but offered something for everyone—a few grassy patches to help the seamers and a slow outfield to reward stroke play only when it was well-timed.

Winning the toss, Mill Hill skipper Ken Shakoor decided to send Hoddesdon in to bat. It was a decision rooted in confidence and perhaps influenced by Hoddesdon’s slightly makeshift batting lineup, with last week's Green Jacket winner Greg Marsh unavailable along with several other regulars.

Hoddesdon's Innings: 160 all out (37.0 overs)
Opening the batting were Nikunj Pradhan and Nirosh Perera, and the early signs were promising. While Nirosh was dismissed cheaply for 8, bowled by Ibrahim Javed, Pradhan settled quickly and looked confident, especially through the leg side. At the other end, skipper Dan Hawkins fell early, bowled by Rohail Mughai, but the visitors were still ticking along steadily at 30-2.

That brought Darshana Koerthichandra to the crease, known affectionately in the dressing room as 'Dash', and it was immediately clear he was going to be central to Hoddesdon’s hopes. From the outset, he timed the ball beautifully, threading cover drives between the fielders and punishing anything overpitched. His partnership with Pradhan blossomed, the pair adding 77 for the third wicket, the largest stand of the match.

Pradhan brought up his second half-century of the campaign, making an excellent 56 off 69 balls, including 9 boundaries and a six. He eventually fell to Usman Humayun, caught attempting to push the score on.

That wicket triggered a collapse.

From 110-3, Hoddesdon lost 7 wickets for just 50 runs. Uriakhel struck to remove Darshana for a brilliant 63 off 87 balls, a knock that deserved more support at the other end. His dismissal effectively ended Hoddesdon’s hopes of reaching 200. The rest of the batting offered little resistance. Benjamin Strong, Lee Ellerbeck, Sampathreddy Palepu, George Elsom, Scott Higgins, and Harvey Aldridge all fell cheaply. Only Jack Bailey (4*) remained not out at the end.

Amir Sultan and Faraz Ahmad were the pick of Mill Hill's bowlers. Uriakhel was economical and effective with 3 for 8 in 5 overs, and Ibrahim Javed chipped in with 1 for 28.

Hoddesdon were bowled out for 160 in 37 overs, leaving them slightly under par but not without hope, thanks to the fighting knocks of Pradhan and Koerthichandra.

Mill Hill's Chase: 161/4 in 30.4 overs
With the ball in hand, Hoddesdon came out fired up, sensing an opportunity to spring a surprise. Scott Higgins was handed the new ball, and he delivered immediately. Bowling with rhythm and precision, he removed danger man Rohail Mughai for 22, caught by Nirosh Perera, and kept things tight from one end

Nirosh himself operated in tandem and removed Mohammed Ayoubi for 31, caught by 'Dash' after a scratchy knock. At 85-2, Hoddesdon had an opening. The introduction of Benjamin Strong saw him pick up the wicket of Spenghar Ahmadzai for a quickfire 16, another well taken catch by Nirosh, but despite the wickets, Mill Hill never looked in any real trouble. They were always ahead of the required rate and rotated the strike cleverly.

The match-turning partnership came between Usman Humayun (27) and Amir Sultan (23*), who blunted the Hoddesdon attack and ensured no further inroads were made.

Perera and Higgins were the standout bowlers for the visitors. Perera was particularly unlucky not to have more, beating the bat on multiple occasions, while Higgins' spell of 8 overs for 17 runs, including 1 wicket, was outstanding and showcased his knack for pressure bowling. Jack Bailey bowled well though and will be better for the experience, having put in a lot of hard yards at training recently. Strong was pleasing and deserved his wicket.

Ultimately, the hosts chased down the target with 161 for 4 in just 30.4 overs, sealing a 6-wicket victory.

Captain’s Corner
After the match, Dan Hawkins was reflective but upbeat:

“We showed a lot of fight, especially with the bat in the middle overs. Darshana and Nikunj were excellent, but we just needed one more to kick on with them. Credit to the lads—we never gave up in the field. There’s loads to build on.”

Positives
Despite being on the losing side, there was no doubt that Darshana Koerthichandra had played a key role. His innings of 63 was classy, composed, and above all, selfless. He held the innings together at a time when it was unravelling at both ends. He also contributed in the field with energy and encouragement, showing great character throughout. Nikunj Pradhan can also be rightly proud of his knock, a hal;f century added to his growing CV.

Match Summary
Hoddesdon CC Saturday 3rd XI
160 all out (37.0 overs)

D. Koerthichandra 63 (87), N. Pradhan 56 (69)

A. Khan 3-8, A. Sultan 2-23, F. Ahmad 1-11

Mill Hill Village CC 4th XI
161/4 (30.4 overs)

M. Ayoubi 31, U. Humayun 27, A. Sultan 23*

S. Higgins 1-17, N. Perera 2-38, B. Strong 1-47

Result: Mill Hill Village CC won by 6 wickets
Points: Mill Hill 30 pts, Hoddesdon 10 pts

League Implications
Mill Hill’s clinical performance means they maintain their place at the top of the Division 12 East table, level on points with Old Albanian. With 160 points from 6 matches, they look strong favourites for promotion.

For Hoddesdon, this result leaves them 7th on 65 points from 5 games, still ahead of Ickleford and Letchworth but needing to find consistency soon to climb the table. There were positives, notably the batting from Koerthichandra and Pradhan and the bowling of Higgins and Perera, but the lack of middle-order support again cost them dear.

Final Thoughts
For Dan Hawkins and his green-clad charges, this was a gutsy showing against the division’s best. With several key players missing, they showed resilience, flashes of quality, and a strong team spirit. But cricket, as ever, is a results business, and Hoddesdon will know that getting over the line in tight games is the next big step in their development.

Next up for Hoddy? A return home and a chance to regroup and go again. 6th placed Bayford & Hertford 2nd XI will prove another stern test but with the opportunity to leapfrog them, Hawkins will have victory on his mind.

With performances like this, the wins will come.

#GreenMachine