Hoddesdon CC 4th XI produced one of their best performances of the season on Saturday afternoon as they defeated high-flying Stansted CC 2nd XI by 12 runs in a scorching Herts & Essex Border League Division 4 encounter at Thundridge.

On a baking hot afternoon under blue skies with only light cloud drifting overhead, Nirosh Perera’s side backed up last weekend’s victory over local rivals St Margaretsbury with another outstanding team display, this time against a Stansted side who arrived sitting third in the table and boasting one of the division’s strongest batting line-ups. Instead, it was Hoddesdon who walked away with the points, a huge cheer ringing around Thundridge as the final ball was bowled and Stansted closed on 201-6 in reply to Hoddesdon’s impressive 213 all out.

The victory lifted Hoddesdon into fifth place in Division 4, level on points with North Weald and within touching distance of the top four, representing a remarkable turnaround after a difficult start to the campaign.

At the centre of it all once again was skipper Nirosh Perera, whose composed 54 helped steer Hoddesdon towards a competitive total before he later collected the Greene King Level Head Green Jacket award back at Lowfield after the match. Perera’s innings was the glue that held the middle order together. On a surface offering decent bounce and quick outfield value, the captain combined patience with timely aggression, striking seven boundaries and one big six in a 60-ball knock that proved absolutely crucial in the context of the game.

Speaking afterwards, the Hoddesdon skipper was understandably delighted with both the result and the spirit shown by his side.

“We’ve had two really strong weeks now and the confidence around the group is growing massively,” said Perera.

“The lads worked unbelievably hard in that heat. Stansted are a very good side with some dangerous players, so to put in a performance like that says a lot about this team. Everyone contributed something.”

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Hoddesdon made a steady rather than explosive start to proceedings. Nikunj Pradhan looked in excellent touch from the outset, timing the ball beautifully through the off side. Although Stuart Ringe departed early for a duck after being trapped by Toby Berry, Pradhan continued to keep the scoreboard moving with typical fluency.

Akif Barlas chipped in with 10 before becoming David Powter’s second victim, but Hoddesdon were beginning to settle nicely as Jack Bailey joined Pradhan at the crease. Bailey once again underlined his growing importance to the 4th XI setup with a lively and entertaining 30 from just 26 deliveries. The aggressive all rounder struck five boundaries and immediately put pressure back on the Stansted attack after the early wickets. Pradhan eventually departed for a classy 40 from 46 balls, an innings containing seven boundaries and plenty of trademark timing, but the platform had been established for the captain to take control.

Perera’s innings was built intelligently. He rotated strike well in the heat, punished loose deliveries and ensured Hoddesdon never allowed Stansted to fully seize momentum. Alongside him, Mick Billson added a useful 8 before falling to Ryan Cope, while Aoylid Hossain then produced one of the most eye-catching cameos of the afternoon. Hossain blasted 44 from just 37 balls at a strike rate approaching 120, peppering the boundary with five fours as Stansted’s bowlers wilted slightly in the afternoon sun. His counter-attacking innings proved vital in lifting Hoddesdon beyond the psychologically important 200-run mark. Lee Ellerbeck added 6 and Freddie Lee remained unbeaten on 1 at the close, but Hoddesdon’s innings had very much been shaped by contributions throughout the order rather than reliance on one player alone.

Even when wickets fell in clusters late in the innings, there was still a feeling around the ground that Hoddesdon had posted something competitive.

Perera agreed.

“At tea we felt 200-plus would give us a real chance if we bowled and fielded properly,” he said.

“The outfield was lightning quick because of the weather, so you knew nothing was safe, but we backed ourselves.”

Stansted’s reply began steadily rather than spectacularly, with Hoddesdon immediately applying pressure through disciplined bowling and energetic fielding.

Jack Bailey made the breakthrough, removing Ryan Cope for 18 before also dismissing Oscar Clark for 9 in a superb opening spell. Bailey’s final figures of 2-40 from eight overs were richly deserved and once again highlighted his growing influence with both bat and ball. Billson also impressed enormously, producing a controlled and intelligent spell that disrupted Stansted’s middle order just as they threatened to accelerate. Mick removed Dave Wheatly for 17 before later bowling Adam Curtis for 32, figures of 2-33 from eight overs representing one of the key spells of the afternoon.

Hoddesdon’s bowlers operated impressively as a unit in difficult conditions. The temperature remained high throughout the afternoon, but standards in the field never dipped.

Aoylid Hossain bowled with excellent control to claim the wicket of Steven Fairman for 37, while Freddie Lee chipped in with the crucial wicket of Ken Carroll for 39 just as the Stansted batter looked capable of taking the game away from Hoddesdon. Lee Ellerbeck perhaps deserved more reward for an excellent spell, returning economical figures of 0-12 from five overs and helping build pressure during the middle stages of the innings. By the time Stansted slipped to 99-4, Hoddesdon sensed a huge opportunity.

Yet the visitors refused to disappear quietly.

Carroll and Fairman counter-attacked impressively and briefly threatened to swing the game back in Stansted’s favour with a partnership worth over 50. Boundaries began to flow and the tension around Thundridge steadily increased as the required rate remained manageable heading into the closing overs. But Hoddesdon held their nerve brilliantly. The fielding remained sharp despite the draining conditions, bowlers stuck to their plans and crucially, Stansted were never allowed the kind of one over that completely shifted momentum. When Fairman fell for 37 and Carroll departed for 39 soon afterwards, the momentum swung decisively back towards Hoddesdon.

Perera rotated his bowlers smartly throughout the innings and praised the composure shown by the group in the closing stages.

“There were moments where they put us under pressure because they bat very deep,” the skipper admitted.

“But the lads stayed calm. Nobody panicked. The energy in the field was brilliant and we kept believing we could close it out.”

As the overs ticked down and the required rate climbed, Stansted increasingly found boundaries difficult to come by. Eventually the innings closed on 201-6 from their 40 overs, sparking celebrations among the Hoddesdon players after one of the side’s standout victories in recent seasons. The result was thoroughly deserved. Hoddesdon had outplayed one of the division’s strongest sides with bat, ball and in the field, while the atmosphere around the team afterwards reflected a squad beginning to grow in confidence and togetherness.

Perera’s Green Jacket presentation back at Lowfield later in the evening capped an excellent day for the skipper, whose leadership and batting performance played a massive role in securing the win. His fifty now represents the highest individual score by a Hoddesdon 4th XI batter so far this season and continued what has been an increasingly influential campaign for the captain.

The updated Division 4 table now paints a far healthier picture for Hoddesdon. After four matches the side had found themselves looking nervously over their shoulder near the bottom end of the standings, but consecutive victories have completely transformed the mood around the camp. Hoddesdon now sit fifth with 55 points, level with North Weald and just nine points behind Stansted in third place. With momentum building, experienced heads returning and confidence growing each week, the 4th XI suddenly look a side nobody will particularly enjoy facing over the coming months.

In his weekly round up message to the squad, Perera said "Great work yesterday boys! Lots of great contributions with bat and ball and I thought the ground fielding by and large was exceptional. The batting by and large went to plan and a good blueprint for upcoming games. Be patient early and really value your wicket and cash in later - let's keep that up!"

He continued, "The bowling was good too, I think the number of loose balls is decreasing with each game. This really helps with setting fields and applying pressure. Whilst the ground fielding and backing up was a marked improvement, I think the win would have been much more comfortable if we held our catches. It goes without saying that this something we need to work on in training. But a really good win and great to build some momentum. A shame in a way that we don't have game next week. Player of the match for me is Mick, a really great spell that put the squeeze on the oppo, he deserved more than 2 scalps! Thanks as always for grafting hard and sticking together throughout, we go again in a fortnight!"

Nirosh has a way of galvanising his troops and getting the best out of his squad. And if performances like this continue, there may yet be plenty more Green Jackets heading to the 4th xi before the summer is out.

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