Hoddesdon CC 3rd XI were beaten by 54 runs away at Ickleford on Saturday, as a baking hot afternoon in Hitchin ended with the hosts taking the full 30 points and Hoddesdon left to reflect on a difficult but far from disastrous day in the Division 12 East promotion race. Stand-in captain Louis Webb won the toss and elected to field first, but Ickleford made good use of their home conditions to post 202 for 7 from their 40 overs before Hoddesdon replied with 148 for 8, battling through the full allocation but never quite finding the momentum required to threaten the target.

It was another afternoon where the weather played a huge part, with the temperature rising sharply and the outfield offering little mercy to bowlers, fielders or batters. Hoddesdon had travelled to The John Rand Recreation Ground looking to bounce back from the previous week’s defeat to Enfield, but instead found themselves up against an Ickleford side who batted with discipline, took their chances and then bowled tightly enough to control the chase from a long way out. The result leaves Hoddesdon third in the table with 199 points from nine matches, behind leaders Hitchin CC 5th XI on 233 and Enfield CC, Middx 4th XI on 225. Datchworth sit just behind Hoddesdon on 195, meaning the fight at the top remains very much alive despite this setback, while Ickleford’s win lifts them to fifth on 178 points and keeps them in touch with the chasing pack.

Division 12 East

Webb was honest afterwards, but keen to keep perspective on a day where Hoddesdon still collected 12 points, made up of five batting points and seven bowling points.

“We are disappointed because we came here wanting a response, and we didn’t quite put together the complete performance we needed,” said Webb. “That said, it was incredibly hot, the lads kept going all day and we still took points from the game, which matters in this league. We have had two tough results, but we are still third, still in the race and still capable of beating anyone when we get things right.”

Ickleford’s innings was built around useful contributions throughout the order rather than one single batter taking the match away completely. Mark Howard led the way with an excellent 51 before being bowled by Monty McCullagh, while Tom Willoughby made 34 and Cruz Serradinho struck an important 46 in the middle order to give the home side the platform they needed to go beyond 200. Hoddesdon had early success through Louis Webb, who removed David Baker for 6 and dangerous campaigner Richard Peareth without scoring, both caught, but Ickleford recovered well from those blows. James Dermont added 25 before falling lbw to Paul Webb, and with Howard anchoring one end and Willoughby beginning to free his arms, the home side moved into a strong position despite Hoddesdon continuing to chip away.

The bowlers stuck at the task well in difficult conditions, with Louis Webb the pick of the attack after finishing with 3 for 35 from his eight overs. Monty McCullagh also deserved real credit for his spell of 2 for 33, removing both Howard and Willoughby at key moments, while Paul Webb’s 1 for 26 from eight overs was the most economical completed spell of the Hoddesdon innings and Rob Aindow also claimed a wicket in his seven overs. Youngster Freddie Lee bowled six overs for 35 and will have gained valuable experience from another senior outing, while Amer Khokhar completed three overs as Webb rotated his options in the heat. Hoddesdon will feel they might have kept Ickleford slightly lower with a sharper spell in the field, but 202 for 7 was still not beyond reach if the reply could find a solid foundation.

Stand-In Skipper Louis Webb Took 3 Wickets

“We were probably 20 or 30 runs heavier than we wanted them to be, but I did think the bowlers kept fighting,” added Webb. “Monty was excellent, Paul was really controlled, and we kept trying to create chances. As captain you always look back at little moments, but the effort was there and nobody hid from the work.”

The chase began cautiously, and Hoddesdon soon found themselves under pressure against a disciplined Ickleford attack. Sampathreddy Palepu was the first to go for 6 with the score on 16, bowled by James Kench, and Paul Webb followed for 10 at 24 for 2, leaving Louis Webb and Mark Feely to rebuild from a tricky position. That partnership became the heart of the Hoddesdon reply. At drinks, after 15 overs, the visitors were 26 for 2, with Webb on 6 from 31 balls and Feely yet to get moving on 0 from 7, but both batters dug in and gradually began to drag the innings back into shape. The 50 came up in the 21st over, and the third-wicket stand eventually reached 50 from 88 balls, a patient partnership that gave Hoddesdon a route back into the contest. Feely played the most fluent innings of the Hoddesdon reply, striking 44 from 66 balls with four fours and two sixes. He has been in good touch for the 3rd XI and again showed his value as one of the experienced heads in the side, combining patience with bursts of aggression and looking the most likely player to shift the pressure back onto Ickleford. Webb made 26 from 68 balls as he tried to hold the innings together, but when he was bowled by Scot Crouch with the score on 89, the chase became far more complicated. Rob Aindow added 3 before being caught and bowled by Richard Peareth, and Feely’s dismissal lbw to Scott Dalrymple at 100 for 5 was the moment that effectively ended Hoddesdon’s realistic hopes of chasing down the target.

Mark feely Top Scored With 44 From 66 Balls

The visitors did not fold, however, and there were still positives lower down the order. Reece Jones made 17 from 17 balls, Louis Purves finished unbeaten on 17 from 19 in his rare playing appearance, and Amer Khokhar injected some late energy with 14 from just nine deliveries, including three boundaries, as Hoddesdon pushed the score towards additional bonus points. Purves, who returned for a one-off appearance after stepping back from regular cricket while fulfilling his role as Head of Cricket, admitted afterwards that it was not quite the comeback fairytale, but felt there was still plenty of character in the performance.

Louis Purves

“It was good to be back out there with the lads, even if the legs may not agree with that tomorrow morning,” said Purves. “Ickleford played well and deserved their win, but I was pleased that we kept going and made sure we took as much as we could from the game. This side has plenty about it, and one or two defeats do not change the bigger picture.”

Ickleford’s bowlers deserve credit for the way they strangled the scoring rate. Kench was outstanding, taking 2 for 10 from eight overs with five maidens, while Richard Peareth claimed 3 for 31, Scott Dalrymple took 2 for 28 and Scot Crouch added 1 for 32 from his eight overs. Thomas Broughton also bowled tightly for 0 for 16 from seven overs, helping ensure Hoddesdon were never allowed to get away. There were also encouraging signs from Barney Webb, who kept wicket and ended unbeaten on 1 from three balls. With father Paul and brother Louis also in the side, it was a memorable family occasion despite the result, and the young keeper will take plenty from being involved in a tough senior game away from home.

Hoddesdon eventually closed on 148 for 8 from their 40 overs, a total that reflected both Ickleford’s discipline and the visitors’ determination not to give the game away cheaply. The difference between the sides was ultimately Ickleford’s greater ability to build partnerships and accelerate in the first innings, while Hoddesdon never quite found the same fluency during their reply.

The league table now shows the challenge clearly. Hitchin and Enfield have opened up a gap at the top, but Hoddesdon remain third and only four points ahead of Datchworth, making the coming weeks hugely important. The season is not defined by two defeats, but the response to those defeats will be crucial if the 3rd XI are to keep themselves in the promotion conversation.

For Webb, the message remains simple.

“We need to stay together, train properly and come back with a bit of belief,” he said. “We have shown already this season that we can win games in different ways, and we have enough quality in this squad to go again. Nobody is pretending today was perfect, but there is still a lot of cricket left and we are not going away.”

On a draining afternoon in the Hitchin heat, Hoddesdon were beaten by the better side on the day, but they were not broken. With valuable points banked, young players continuing to gain experience and senior figures still contributing, the 3rd XI remain firmly in the fight, even if the road back to the summit has become a little steeper.

#GreenMachine