Rock-solid Stead steers Horspath to a draw

Adam Price 5-73

OPENER Jamie Stead hit an unbeaten 70 to steer Horspath to a draw against old rivals Oxford in their Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2 top-of-the-table battle at the Oxford University Press Sports Ground. Stead stood firm to take the visitors to safety at 178-8 after the home side had recovered from 85-7 to post 212 all out after being put in to bat. The result saw morning leaders Horspath pick up four points less than Oxford, who now have a three-point advantage at the summit.

However, for much of the home side's innings it looked as if they would come off second best as Adam Price inflicted the early damage against his former club on the way to returning 5-73. The left-arm seamer made the early breakthrough by having Vishane Perera caught at point by Stephen Green, before quickly striking again with Andrew Clough pouched by Shahbaz Ali.

Skipper Will Eason then bowled Shabaaz Alam with an inswinger, and Oxford were in disarray at 21-4 when Price trapped George Munsey lbw. Eason then won an lbw appeal against Oxford skipper John Barrett to make it 41-5.

Shamilal Mendis kick-started the Oxford fightback with 36 off just 26 balls when he was adjudged to be caught behind by Rameez Raja off Price. And when Lloyd Belcher bowled Ian Crosby for 19 with the first ball of his spell, Horspath were well on top.

The left-arm spinner claimed his second victim with Mark Beer caught behind to make it 124-8. But then Horspath were frustrated by a ninth-wicket stand of 61 between Harvey Eltham (48no) and Freddie Simon, which was finally broken when the latter was caught by Eason at slip off Jehan Mohammed for 39.  Price completed his five-wicket haul by bowling Samad Fallah, but not before he had helped Eltham add 27 valuable runs for the last wicket.

The Indian left-arm seamer then struck an early blow in Horspath's reply when Jimmy Phillips was adjudged lbw off the third ball of the innings. Shahbaz was then caught at gully by Beer off Munsey, making it 23-2. Rameez had made a run-a-ball 41 when he holed out to Simon at long on off Mendis as Horspath reached tea at 74-3.

Harrison Ward appeared very unlucky to be adjudged lbw to Eltham for 14, while off the very next ball Green looked to have fortune on his side as he survived a big appeal for a catch at short leg. He added 44 for the fifth wicket with Stead, whose neat wristy flicks kept the score ticking along, before Green played across the line and was bowled by Fallah for ten to make it 139-5.

Price looked dangerous before being caught behind by Alam for ten off Fallah, and Eason went in similar fashion with the Oxford wicket-keeper taking a fine one-handed diving catch to his left. When Jehan was adjudged lbw to Fallah, bowling unchanged from the pavilion end in a marathon 27-over spell, the home side were suddenly sensing victory with Horspath 165-8.

But Stead, who hit eight fours and survived three chances in his determined 161-ball innings, wasn't to be dislodged. And with Jamil Faruq reining in his natural attacking instincts, the pair negotiated the remaining overs to see Horspath to safety. Fallah finished with 5-70 for his fourth consecutive haul of five wickets or more.

Posted by: Russ