Horspath sink Shipton to stay unbeaten

Rameez 74 not out

HORSPATH remain unbeaten in Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2 after a seven-wicket home win over Shipton-under-Wychwood, who never recovered from a dramatic top-order collapse.

The visitors had reached 22-0 after winning the toss and deciding to bat when they lost four wickets in the space of 11 balls without addition to the score. Left-arm seamer Adam Price triggered the collapse by having Joe Barrett caught behind by Jasper Davies, before Andrew Hemming was run out by Lloyd Belcher's direct hit from mid-on. Skipper Will Eason then bowled Simon Hole and Price shattered Calvin Dickinson's stumps - the pair both going for ducks.

Charlie Miller and Craig Wood attempted to repair the damage, but disaster struck again for Shipton with the score on 57 when the former was run out by Pat Foster's throw from square leg after he had been sent back by his partner. Wood was then caught behind off Rameez Raja's off-spin to make it 94-6, before Ian Lewis offered a leading edge to be caught and bowled by Belcher for 24. 

The left-arm spinner struck again when George Seacole hit a full toss straight to Price at mid-on, and Shaun Cross was then caught by Jamil Faruq in similar fashion off Eason. The Horspath captain wrapped up the innings by trapping Shipton skipper Charlie Brain lbw for 23, with the visitors all out for 133. Eason finished with 3-18, Belcher 2-13 and Price 2-29, while Foster's eight overs cost just 19 runs.

Rameez was promoted to open the batting for Horspath, and he seized his chance in spectacular style with an unbeaten 74 off 77 balls to steer Horspath to victory. He lost his opening partner, Harrison Ward, with the score on 19 when the left-hander sent a leading edge off Cross to Wood at point. And it was 50-2 when Jimmy Phillips fell lbw to Seacole for eight.

Rameez kept up the momentum, though, putting on 68 for the third wicket with Robbie Eason. The former Pakistan Twenty20 international went to his second half-century of the season with a straight six over the scout hut of Seacole in an over which saw him plunder 20 runs, with another mighty six and two fours.

Eason was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Shaun Miller for 22, and it was left to Shahbaz Ali to hit the winning boundary as Horspath secured victory at 136-3 off 26.5 overs. Rameez's innings included ten fours and three sixes.

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Posted by: Russ