Hodges boys are Herts' trump cards

13 April 2012

Duncan Hodges upstaged his big brother Mike as West Herts ran riot in club cricket's premier knockout tournament.

The Watford club are through to the last 32 of the £12,000 Evening Standard Challenge Trophy after an impressive second-round victory at Sunbury in a run feast which yielded 567 runs, with more than 200 of them coming from the bats of the Hodges boys.

West Herts posted a massive 298 for six from their 50 overs, thanks largely to a fourth-wicket partnership of 160 between 30-year-old Duncan, who made 115, and his older brother Mike, 34, who had to settle for 93.

To complete Duncan's big day, he took three for 40 with his left-arm spin and held two catches as Sunbury were restricted to 269 for nine in reply.

Mike Hodges said: "I was a bit tired when I got myself out and didn't realise I was only seven runs short of a century. It would have been lovely to get a hundred as well as my brother but the important thing is that we set up a good win over very strong opponents.

"The only time we both scored centuries in a match was in a club game a few years ago but neither of us is too bothered. Duncan clearly had one of those days, with three wickets and two catches as well. I told him to make sure to buy a Lottery ticket on the way home."

West Herts have been rewarded with a home tie against South Hampstead on 8 July. Their match at Sunbury was one of nine in the 50-over Sunday competition which had been rained off the previous weekend.

Hertfordshire League champions Hoddesdon also pulled off a fine victory in south-west London when they overcame last year's semi-finalists, Richmond, by 35 runs.

Now Hoddesdon will visit the winners of this Sunday's clash between Middlesex League heavyweights Ealing and Winchmore Hill.

Holders Finchley had a comfortable 49-run victory over Uxbridge in a repeat of last year's final. Their next stop is a short trip down the Finchley Road to take on Hampstead.

Second-round results: Saffron Walden (154-0) bt Purley (153) by 10 wickets, Hampstead (296-6) bt Hadleigh (177-8) by 119 runs, Enfield (172) bt Addiscombe (142) by 30 runs, W Herts (298-6) bt Sunbury (269-9) by 29 runs, Hoddesdon (257) bt Richmond (222) by 35 runs, Wembley (244-5) bt Upminster (164) by 80 runs, Brentham (264-6) bt Wokingham (175) by 89 runs, Finchley (197) bt Uxbridge (148) by 49 runs, Hertford bt Ickenham (walkover).

Playing Sunday 1 July: Ealing v Winchmore Hill, Stanmore v Ilford.

Revised third-round draw: W Herts v S Hampstead, BWIA Cavaliers v Teddington, Enfield v Radlett, Dartford v Chingford, Spencer v Lambeth Enterprise, Beaconsfield v Trojans, Hampstead v Finchley, Bexley v Lensbury, Gidea Park & Romford v Banstead, Ealing or Winchmore Hill v Hoddesdon, Saffron Walden v Sevenoaks Vine, Wanstead v Brentham, Welwyn GC v Stanmore or Ilford, Wembley v Hertford, Brondesbury v Walton-on-Thames, Dulwich v Wimbledon. Ties to be played on 8 July.

Other dates - Round four: 22 July; Quarter-finals: 5 Aug; Semi-finals 19 Aug; Final: (The Oval) 9 September.

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