Rameez's masterclass is key in Horspath triumph

Rameez Raja 500+ league runs

RAMEEZ Raja produced another batting masterclass as Horspath maintained their promotion push
in Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2 with a tense two-wicket victory at Shipton-under-Wychwood.

Chasing Shipton's 187-7 after the hosts elected to bat on a slow pitch, Rameez came to the crease with the second-placed visitors in early trouble at 11-2. But as Horspath stuttered to 95-6, the former Pakistan Twenty20 international stood firm to make a controlled 82 from 97 balls with 17 fours and take his side to the brink of victory, which was secured at 188-8.

The visitors' reply had got off to a rocky start with Jamie Stead bowled by Anupam Sanklecha in the first over without scoring, before Robbie Eason was caught at second slip by Simon Hole off Shipton skipper Joe Barrett. Shahbaz Ali and Rameez took the score to 34, before the former was adjudged lbw to Sanklecha for 18.

Rameez, who clocked up 500 league runs for the season when he reached 30, and Pat Foster saw Horspath to tea at 73-3. But in the first over after the break, Foster was caught by Hole at slip off left-arm spinner Shaun Miller. Stephen Green then edged a Sanklecha delivery into Calvin Dickinson's gloves, and in the same over Adam Price was out lbw after shouldering arms.

Horspath were teetering at 95-6, but Rameez found a willing ally in captain Will Eason, with the pair sharing a crucial seventh-wicket stand of 69 before the Horspath skipper was caught and bowled by Miller for 20. Rameez had batted with plenty of control, but his disciplined innings came to an end with ten needed to win when he became Sanklecha's fifth victim, the Indian all-rounder finishing with 5-54, when he was caught at extra cover by Jamie Perkin.

It created a nervy finish for Horspath, but Jasper Davies and debutant Asad Rafiq kept their cool to see the visitors home. Davies was unbeaten on 18, clinching victory by reverse sweeping Miller for four.

Earlier, Shipton had made a steady start to their innings, reaching 33 before Hole was bowled off his pads by Price, who then knocked back Dickinson's stumps in the same over after the teenager shouldered arms. Horspath's left-arm seamer struck again to make it 51-3 by having Craig Wood caught behind for 20. And there was no keeping Price out of the action as he then pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch to dismiss Barrett and give Asad his first league wicket, with the hosts going into lunch at 79-4.

Jamie Perkin and Charlie Miller took the score to 123, before the latter fell to a good diving catch by Green at mid-wicket off Foster. The Horspath all-rounder struck again to dismiss Perkin, who had made 60 from 104 balls, with one six and seven fours, when he was caught at long off by Shahbaz. 

Sanklecha made a fluent 37 before he was caught behind attempting to play a cut shot off left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher. But tight bowling, which saw Horspath concede just 28 runs from the last nine overs, ensured Shipton were held in check. Price finished with 3-31, while Foster picked up 2-51, Asad 1-26 and Belcher 1-54.

The hard-fought win keeps Horspath in second place, 15 points adrift of leaders Oxford and two points ahead of third-placed Amersham.

Posted by: Russ