Captain Cowell Up & Running As Hertford 1s Beat Hoddesdon in Thriller

Under sporadically clouded skies, Hoddesdon captain Rob Walters won the toss and elected to field first knowing that this was a ground where defending a first innings score was often tricky.

Hertford’s opening batsmen Will Ray and Jamie Riddle were looking to provide the platform for a lower order onslaught; a plan that was promptly foiled when Riddle was unfortunate to be caught at 2nd slip via two deflections. The ball was tipped by the diving keeper into first slip’s chest, up in the air and in to the grateful hands of Rob Jones at 2nd slip.

After a period of consolidation against some accurate opening bowling, Will Ray (15) was undone by the bowling change when he was bowled by left arm spinner, Jamie Stevens. Precariously placed on 41-2, Hertford’s new look 3 and 4 of Alan Jones and Sam Davis set about rebuilding the innings by striking several boundaries but somewhat struggling to rotate the strike against Hoddesdon’s spinners.

As the score passed 100 and with both batsmen well set in their 40s, Jones’ attempts to up the rate were unsuccessful as he was caught by Will Steward for 45 from 76 balls. When former Hoddesdon all-rounder Davis was caught on the boundary for 42, Hertford’s innings was showing signs of waning but their dynamic middle order was about to dramatically swing the momentum in their favour.

The main protagonist was Max Lawrance who batted with confidence alongside his skipper, Ben Cowell. Lawrance and Cowell flourished in the favourable batting conditions; Cowell reverse-sweeping and Lawrance late-cutting. As the partnership developed, so did Hertford’s run rate and when Cowell was dismissed by Bill Thorne for 33, new-man James Leather followed suit by raising the rate once more, and this time drastically.

Leather’s innings of 44 from just 11 balls was an exhibition in brutal ball-striking. There was an air of inevitably about the outcome each time the unlucky bowler reluctantly took ball in hand. One Luke Monger over was particularly noteworthy due to the spectacular nature of the striking – 3 sixes disappeared back over the bowler’s head before the perfect yorker was expertly guided down to third man for 4.

Lawrance, who was surely enjoying Leather’s display from the non-strikers end, had just passed 50 when he was eventually dismissed for a superb 52 from 41 balls. At this stage Hertford were on 257-7. Hoddesdon did well to remove Leather soon after and in doing so were able to restrict Hertford to 266-8 from their 45 overs. Leather, Lawrance and Cowell had combined brilliantly to propel Hertford to what looked like a defendable total.

In just the 2nd ball on Hoddesdon’s reply, skipper Rob Walters tracked Sam Davis only to hit the ball straight to Rob Slater at mid-off. With one key batsman dismissed, Hertford set their sights on number 3, Jaydn Broodryk, and they could hardly believe their luck when he chipped a drive straight to the deep cover fielder. A top order capitulation was complete when Davis bowled the ball of the day to Craig Handy, pitching on middle and hitting the top of off. At 20-3, Hertford were well in charge.

The fourth wicket partnership would prove more formidable, though. Ross Clarke and Todd Sturdy went about their business very effectively, rotating the strike where possible and always putting the bad ball away. A huge moment occurred early in the partnership, though, when Hertford were convinced Andrew Knight had Sturdy caught behind. The batsman was unmoved and so too was the umpire. Hertford felt aggrieved and as the partnership progressed up to 150, the game looked to be escaping them. That was until Andrew Knight returned to the bowling attack and removed both set batsmen within the space of 4 balls. Firstly, Ross Clarke, who had made a chanceless 70 from 83 balls was caught by Will Ray over his shoulder and then Sturdy was caught under a skier at mid-off by Jonny Underdown.

The game had returned to the balance with Hoddesdon on 172-5, still needing 99 runs at 8 an over. The two new batsmen were Will Steward and Rob Jones, the latter was once a Hertford colt and his clean hitting threatened to wrestle the momentum from his former side. That was until he was dismissed by the returning Sam Davis who, with 3 wickets and 40 runs to his name, was enjoying a fine day out.

With the score now on 234-7 and Hoddesdon needing 10 runs an over, the increasingly agitated crowd shifted towards the edges of their seats as Hoddesdon and Hertford tussled for the ascendency in a game that was never controlled by either side.

In the penultimate over, a 2nd moment of controversy played out and this one was to be in the favour of the away side. The batsmen flayed James Leather to the square leg boundary where Jamie Riddle dived and hooked the ball back in play to save the 4, but the close-by Hoddesdon players and fans were convinced a boundary had been conceded. The umpires convened and, to the dismay of the home side, decided to only award 2 runs. This left the home side needing 16 from the last over.

The stage was set for former Hoddesdon player Davis was given the ball. Despite some late heroics from Luke Monger and Harry Mason, Hoddesdon eventually fell 2 runs short of their target and Cowell was able to enjoy his first win as Hertford captain.

Hertford were particularly proud of their fielding, an aspect of the game in which they excelled over Hoddesdon and what was likely the difference between the sides on the day. Next week Hertford welcome West Herts to Balls Park.

Written by Will Ray.