Belcher shines as Horspath roar clear at top

Lloyd Belcher 6-55

LLOYD Belcher produced an excellent spell of 6-55 to set Horspath up for a seven-wicket home win over Aston Rowant, which saw them storm 18 points clear at the top of Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2.

The 16-year-old left-arm spinner worked his way through the Rowant order with good support from seamer Pat Foster (3-51) after the visitors had elected to bat first. Following a 35-minute delay due to light rain, Rowant got off to a swift start, before Foster made the breakthrough on 59 when he had Andrew Tolson caught at second slip by Rameez Raja for 33.

Belcher then trapped Miles Hammond lbw for 31 in his first over, and he struck again when Alex Jewell edged a delivery to skipper Will Eason at first slip. Foster delivered two important blows in consecutive overs just before lunch to make it 106-5 when he had Chris Watling caught behind by Jasper Davies and Rowant captain Josh Smith snapped up by Rameez.

Horspath were thwarted after the interval by a good partnership of 70 between Wes Morrick and Richard Cook, before Belcher won an lbw decision against Morrick for 42. The tail then folded with Jamil Faruq having Adam Muttitt caught behind, before Belcher, who bowled with good variations of pace in his spell of 17.4 overs, mopped up the last three wickets. Leo Bethell was caught at deep square leg by Stephen Green, while Sasha Barras and Gordon Harris both fell lbw as Rowant were bowled out for 195, with Cook unbeaten on 35.

Horspath's run chase got off to a good start with debutant Jamie Stead making a fluent 35 off 32 balls before he was caught at first slip by Jewell off Morrick with the score on 59. Robbie Eason and Jimmy Phillips moved it along to 105-1 at tea, with the latter stepping up the pace after the interval. He hit 20 off a Chris Watling over, before holing out to Sasha Barras on the long on boundary. Phillips had made 67 off 78 balls, including two sixes and ten fours, in a second-wicket stand of 101 with Eason.

Rameez had made 13 when he mistimed a hook off Harris to Watling, who took the catch over his shoulder at mid-wicket, before Eason clinched victory with a six into the nets at 199-3. The Horspath opener finished unbeaten on 67 from 136 deliveries, with 11 fours and a maximum.

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Posted by: Russ