Shahbaz and Eason shine as Horspath are foiled

Shahbaz Ali unbeaten 78

HORSPATH'S Shahbaz Ali and Will Eason shared a century sixth-wicket stand before Datchet's last pair held out for a draw in their Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2 clash at the Wally Gage Memorial Ground.

Having posted 205-6 after being put in to bat, leaders Horspath were thwarted by South African Gareth Harte (104no) and James Dick, who survived the final 8.3 overs - including a massive appeal for a catch in the slips - as Datchet closed on 181-9. The draw sees Horspath's lead at the top cut to one point by Oxford ahead of the meeting between the two clubs at the Oxford University Press Sports Ground next Saturday.

Jamie Stead was the first Horspath wicket to fall when he was bowled by Harte with the score on 27. Fellow opener Jimmy Phillips had played fluently to make 43 when he was caught at extra cover by Harte off Datchet captain Steven Naylor. And it was 55-3 when Rameez Raja was adjudged lbw in the same over without scoring.

Naylor struck again with Stephen Green caught at mid-wicket by Harte, and Horspath were in some trouble at 68-5 when Adam Price was adjudged lbw to Dick. But Shahbaz and Eason turned the innings round, showing dogged resistance before stepping up the tempo.

Having taken the score to 85-5 at lunch, they proceeded to put on 104 for the sixth wicket before Eason was caught at deep square leg off Naylor for 47. Jamil Faruq provided the final flourish with an unbeaten 13 off ten balls, including a four which hit the top of a tree five yards inside the boundary. 

Shahbaz was unbeaten on 78 from 123 deliveries with a six and seven fours, while Naylor finished with 4-64.

Price struck an early blow in Datchet's reply when Rameez dived to his right to take a brilliant one-handed catch behind the stumps to dismiss Mark George. Horspath's left-arm seamer struck again by bowling Tim Alldis to make it 33-2.

Naylor and Harte had taken the score to 77 when the Datchet captain was caught by Phillips at mid-on off Belcher's left-arm spin. Ben Tyler was then adjudged lbw to Faruq, and when Joe Thomas was caught behind off Belcher it was 94-5. Adam Jones was run out at the bowler's end by Eason after he gathered Belcher's throw following a big lbw appeal. The Horspath captain then bowled Sam Finn and Tom Lambert, before trapping Edgar lbw to make it 140-9.

But with Harte controlling the strike well as he completed his century with his runs coming off 122 balls and including 17 fours, Horspath were unable to take the final wicket. Eason finished with 3-47, while Price picked up 2-37 and Belcher 2-55.

Posted by: Russ