Hoddesdon 4th XI produced one of the great feel-good moments of their season on Saturday, roaring back from a difficult run of results to beat Harlow CC 5th XI by four wickets in a remarkable run chase at Molehill Green.

On a baking hot afternoon, with the game seemingly drifting towards another tough lesson for Nirosh Perera’s young side, Sampathreddy Palepu delivered an innings of pure defiance, quality and joy, finishing unbeaten on 144 to carry Hoddesdon to a sensational victory. It was a result that will live long in the memory for the 4th XI, not simply because of the scale of the chase, but because of what it represented. This is a side that has had to take its medicine in recent weeks, with young players learning senior cricket the hard way and results not always reflecting the effort going in. Yet here, against a Harlow side who had already beaten them earlier in the season, Hoddesdon showed resilience, belief and no little skill to chase down 296 and win with five balls to spare.

Hoddesdon Cricket Club 4th XI Won An Astonishing Game At Harlow

Harlow won the toss and chose to bat first, and for long spells they looked to be building a match-winning total. Muqit Shaikh was the mainstay of the innings, striking a powerful 116 from 86 balls with 15 fours and four sixes. Umair Khan added 65 from 45 balls, Adam Dack made 52 from 47, and with Paul Fuller also contributing 15, the home side had enough major contributions to reach 296/6 from their 40 overs. The Harlow innings was built around two big partnerships, with the score moving from 120/1 to 154/2 and then all the way to 275 before Hoddesdon struck again. On a small and fast-scoring ground, in oppressive conditions, it would have been easy for heads to drop as Harlow accelerated. Instead, Hoddesdon kept finding ways to stay in the contest, and although the target eventually looked enormous, the effort in the field proved crucial because every wicket and every saved boundary mattered by the end.

Captain Nirosh led from the front with the ball, producing a superb spell of 3/24 from seven overs, including two maidens. He removed Muqit Shaikh, Ben Dack and Danny Stone, and his figures stood out on a day when batters generally had the upper hand. It was another example of the captain setting the tone, not just with skill, but with the calmness and encouragement that have helped this young side keep believing through difficult Saturdays. Jack Bailey also bowled with impressive control, taking 1/34 from his eight overs at an economy rate of just 4.25. Arthur Brown claimed 1/33 from five overs, while Caleb Harding picked up the wicket of Adam Dack during his seven-over spell. George Elsom and Chunot Shah also had spells where they kept charging in despite the heat, and while the figures were tough in places, the work ethic from the entire attack gave Hoddesdon a platform to believe that the match was not completely gone.

Skipper Nirosh Impressed With Bat And Ball

That belief still required something extraordinary with the bat, and Hoddesdon certainly got it. Arthur Brown opened the chase with 10 from 13 balls, striking two boundaries and helping Nirosh get the innings moving. When Arthur fell at 26/1 and George Elsom followed at 42/2 after making 7, Harlow would have sensed the chance to apply pressure and repeat their victory from the reverse fixture back at Thundridge.

What happened next changed the entire mood of the afternoon. Sampathreddy came in and played the innings of the season, combining calm defence, sharp running, clean striking and a growing sense of authority as the target began to come into view. He was not merely surviving or hanging around; he was taking ownership of the chase and slowly, over by over, making Harlow believe that 296 might not be enough. Nirosh again played a vital role, backing up his excellent bowling with a punchy 47 from 33 balls at a strike rate of 142.42. His eight boundaries gave Hoddesdon early momentum, and his partnership with Sampathreddy took the total to 93 before he was lbw to Danny Stone. That wicket could have been a turning point in Harlow’s favour, but the captain had done enough to make sure Hoddesdon were not just chasing respectability; they were chasing the game.

Sampathreddy then found another gear. He built with Connor Taylor, who made a very useful 19 from 31 balls before falling with the score on 177, and then carried on with Jack Bailey, who chipped in with 27 from 37 balls. Jack’s innings was another important contribution, steadying the chase and helping Sapmathreddy keep the scoreboard moving when the required rate could easily have become intimidating. By the time Jack was out at 249/5, Hoddesdon were close enough to dream but still far enough away for nerves to bite. Chunot Shah came and went for 1, but Joshua Kent held firm at the other end and finished 3 not out from five balls. Rudy Bean, Matthew Kent and Caleb Harding did not need to bat, which itself told the story of a chase that had been guided home brilliantly by one player having the afternoon of his life.

Sampathreddy Palepu Gave The Performance Of His Life

Sampathreddy finished unbeaten on 144 from 110 balls, with 20 fours and four sixes. It was an innings full of confidence, timing and courage, and it deserved every bit of applause it received. Having already produced one of the most talked-about 4th XI performances of the year earlier in the season, he now added another chapter with a match-winning knock that earned him the weekend’s Green Jacket award.

Speaking afterwards, Sampathreddy said it was a day he would never forget. “I just wanted to keep batting and take it as deep as I could,” he said. “The target was a big one, but the message was to keep believing, keep running hard and put away the bad ball. Once I got in, I felt good, and the support from the lads was brilliant all the way through.”

144 Not Out

He was also quick to praise the players around him, especially in such demanding conditions. “Nirosh’s innings gave us real momentum and the lads who stayed with me made a massive difference,” Sampathreddy added. “When you are chasing that many, you need people to keep calm at the other end, and everyone was encouraging each other. To win like that after a tough few weeks means a lot.”

For Nirosh, the result was about more than the points. His side came into the fixture sitting ninth in the Division 4 table, with two wins and seven defeats from nine matches, but this victory lifted them to 89 points from ten games and moved them above Harlow, who now sit ninth on 86. The wider table remains competitive, with Bishop’s Stortford 1825s top on 170, Harlow Town 3rd XI second on 165, and Sawbridgeworth 4th XI third on 115, but Hoddesdon’s win was a major emotional boost.

HEBL Division 4

“This is exactly why we keep telling the lads to stay positive and keep working,” said Nirosh. “We have had some hard results, but there is so much talent and character in this group. Today showed what can happen when we keep believing, keep supporting each other and take the game on in the right way.”

The captain was full of praise for Sampathreddy, but he also wanted the whole team to take credit from the win. “Sampath was absolutely outstanding and fully deserves the Green Jacket,” Nirosh said. “An innings like that wins you games, but it was also built on the work everyone did around him. The bowlers kept going in brutal heat, the fielders stuck at it, and the batters gave him the partnerships he needed.”

Perera Presented Palepu With The Green Jacket Back At Lowfield

Harlow will feel they did plenty right with the bat, and in most circumstances 296/6 would be more than enough to win a Division 4 match. Muqit Shaikh’s 116 was a terrific innings, while Umair Khan and Adam Dack both made telling contributions. With the ball, Danny Stone took 2/55, while Ben Dack, Alan Hodgson, Umair Khan and Muqit Shaikh each claimed one wicket, but they could not find a way through Sampathreddy once he was set. The worm graphic told the story of a chase that kept Hoddesdon close enough for long enough. Harlow had the edge for much of the game, but the red line kept rising, never allowing the home side to fully relax. As the overs ticked down, Hoddesdon’s chase gathered pace, and the final surge turned what had looked like a brave effort into a famous four-wicket win.

The Worm Tells It's Own Story

For the young players in this Hoddesdon side, this was a priceless afternoon. Caleb, Arthur, George, Joshua, Rudy and Matthew are all part of a group being asked to grow up in senior cricket, and days like this will do wonders for their confidence. They saw that tough spells can be survived, that big targets can be chased, and that senior cricket rewards teams who keep fighting even when the numbers look against them. There was also something fitting about Nirosh playing such a big part in the victory. He has stayed patient, constructive and upbeat through the difficult weeks, repeatedly reminding his players that development is not always linear and that improvement often comes from sticking together when results are hard. On Saturday, that message was rewarded with a win that felt like a genuine breakthrough.

Hoddesdon’s 298/6 from 39.1 overs was not just their highest-pressure chase of the season, but a statement of what this side can become. It was built on Sampathreddy’s brilliance, Nirosh’s all-round leadership, and the collective desire of a young team that refused to fold. After a tough run, this was the kind of day that changes the mood around a side and gives everyone something to carry forward.

The 4th XI will know there is still plenty of work ahead, and Nirosh will no doubt keep pushing the same messages around training, discipline and game awareness. But Saturday at Molehill Green was a day to celebrate, and celebrate properly. Hoddesdon went away to Harlow, chased 297 in the heat, won by four wickets, and came home with a Green Jacket hero at the heart of one of the most astonishing 4th XI victories in recent memory.

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