Hoddesdon CC 3rd XI return to Hertingfordbury Cricket Club this Saturday looking to stop the slide, reset the mood and remind Division 12 East that there is still plenty of cricket to be played in the promotion race. Bayford & Hertford CC 2nd XI are the visitors for a 1pm start, and while the table shows Hoddesdon sitting fourth after a difficult run of results, the gap above them remains far from impossible. With ten games played, Hoddesdon have 208 points, sitting behind leaders Hitchin on 263, Enfield on 245 and Datchworth on 225, while Bayford arrive in eighth place on 160 points after an upturn in form of their own.

Division 12 East

It has been a bruising few weeks for Louis Webb’s side, with three straight defeats following earlier wins over Hatfield & Crusaders and Potters Bar. Those recent losses have seen the 3rd XI knocked away from the summit, but they remain well placed in a congested top half and know one strong Saturday could shift the tone again very quickly. They have already shown this season that they can grind out tight wins, defend awkward totals and compete with the strongest sides in the division, so the challenge now is to rediscover that calmness and confidence at a key moment in the campaign.

Bayford & Hertford arrive with momentum, having followed an eight-wicket win over Potters Bar with a thumping 150-run victory over Hatfield & Crusaders. Their latest result was particularly eye-catching, as they piled up 332 for 6 before bowling Hatfield out for 182, a result that underlined the danger they carry with the bat when things click. Before that, they had chased down Potters Bar’s 129 all out with ease, reaching 133 for 2 in just 24.2 overs, although their recent defeats against Hitchin and Letchworth show they are not invincible if pressure is applied early and sustained. The big warning sign for Hoddesdon is the form of Amar Malik, who has produced some of Bayford’s standout batting efforts this season. His magnificent 168 against Hatfield & Crusaders last weekend was the highest score listed among their top performances, and it came after previous major contributions of 76 against Letchworth Garden City and 63 not out against Potters Bar. Tom Wigglesworth’s 76 against Hitchin and Krishan Naik’s 74 against Hatfield also show that Bayford are not a one-man batting unit, so Hoddesdon’s bowlers will need to be disciplined from the first over rather than simply targeting one danger man.

There are threats with the ball too, and Stuart Brooks’ 6 for 24 against Hatfield earlier in the season stands out as the major individual bowling performance from Bayford’s campaign. Kevin Nicholls is another name to watch after figures of 4 for 30 against Hatfield and 3 for 15 against Potters Bar, while Krishan Naik’s 3 for 17 against Datchworth is further proof that Bayford have wicket-taking options throughout their attack. If Hoddesdon are to take control, they will need to build partnerships, avoid soft dismissals and make sure they do not allow Bayford’s strike bowlers to dictate the rhythm of the innings.

There will also be good memories for Hoddesdon from the first league meeting between the sides back on 16 May at Bayford Green. On that day, Hoddesdon produced one of their most convincing performances of the season, bowling Bayford & Hertford out for just 73 in 30.4 overs before knocking off the target at 74 for 4 in 25.5 overs to win by six wickets. Scott Higgins and Dan Hawkins both took three wickets each that afternoon, setting the tone with the ball and ensuring Hoddesdon controlled the contest almost from start to finish.

Hoddesdon Took The Spoils Back In May

This time, however, Hoddesdon know they are facing a Bayford side that appears to have found a sharper attacking edge. A team that has just posted 332 cannot be treated lightly, and captain Louis Webb will want his side to respect the opposition while still carrying the belief that comes from already beating them once this season. Saturday is not just about revenge or a repeat result; it is about Hoddesdon putting a complete performance together again and proving that the recent blip has not knocked them off course.

“We know we have had a tough couple of weeks, but this is exactly the sort of game where you find out about the group,” said Webb ahead of the fixture. “The table still gives us plenty to play for, and nobody in our changing room thinks the season has slipped away. We have got to be honest about where we can improve, but we also need to remember the good cricket we played earlier in the season and trust that it is still there.”

Webb will once again captain the side and will be joined by brother Barney Webb, who takes the gloves, with father Paul Webb also selected to continue what has become a proper Webb family thread running through the 3rd XI campaign. Barney’s development has been one of the pleasing stories of the year, and this is another chance for him to continue stepping up in senior cricket while taking responsibility behind the stumps. Paul’s experience and calmness remain hugely valuable, particularly in a side that is trying to steady itself after a run of frustrating results.

Barney Webb Will Keep Wicket

There is also intrigue around the inclusion of Sampathreddy Palepu, who steps up into the 3rd XI after his extraordinary 144 not out for the 4th XI last Saturday. That innings was not merely a good knock; it was one of the great individual stories of the club’s season and rightly earned him the Green Jacket. He now gets the chance to carry that confidence into a higher level, and while nobody will expect another fairytale every week, his presence adds real interest and a reminder of how quickly form and belief can transform a player’s season.

Sampathreddy Gave A Green Jacket Performance Last Week

Ross Maughan also features and will be important with both his experience and his ability to settle an innings. Tyler Burroughs and Reece Jones add further batting depth and energy, while Amer Khokhar and Monty McCullagh give the side different options as Hoddesdon look for balance in the middle and lower order. Scott Higgins, who starred with the ball in the reverse fixture, will again be a key figure, not only because of what he did against Bayford in May but because Hoddesdon need their senior bowlers to set the tone with control, aggression and consistency.

“The message is simple really,” added Webb. “We need to compete for longer periods and stop letting games drift away from us. Bayford have got players in form, and we have seen from their last couple of results that they can hurt sides, but we also know what we are capable of when we bowl properly, field with energy and bat with a bit of patience. It is about getting back to doing the basics well and making Hertingfordbury a difficult place for teams to come.”

Skipper Louis Webb

Hertingfordbury should provide a familiar and welcoming stage for a fixture that could prove important in shaping the next phase of Hoddesdon’s season. After successive defeats to Enfield, Ickleford and Datchworth, there is no pretending the 3rd XI do not need a response, but there is equally no reason for panic. They remain in the top four, they have players returning to form, they have already beaten Saturday’s opponents once, and they still have a squad capable of winning matches in different ways. The weather is expected to be warm again, though not at the oppressive levels of the recent heatwave weeks, and both sides will know concentration in the field could be decisive. Bayford will arrive buoyed by big runs and back-to-back victories, while Hoddesdon will be determined to show that their recent run is a stumble rather than a collapse. If Webb’s side can strike early, absorb pressure and make better use of the key moments than they have in the past fortnight, Saturday could be the afternoon that gets the 3rd XI moving back in the right direction.

Fixture details: Hoddesdon CC 3rd XI v Bayford & Hertford CC 2nd XI

Saturday 18 July 2026
1pm start
Hertingfordbury Cricket Club
Herts Premier Cricket League Division 12 East

Ones to watch: Louis Webb, Barney Webb, Paul Webb, Sampathreddy Palepu, Scott Higgins, Amar Malik, Stuart Brooks and Kevin Nicholls.

#GreenMachine