HORSPATH evaded Saturday's deluge to capture the Home Counties Premier League Division 2 title with a commanding four-wicket win at promotion rivals Amersham. Knowing a victory would ensure they would go straight back up to the top flight following the heartbreak of last year's relegation, Will Eason's side made no mistake at the picturesque Shardeloes ground. Meanwhile, news filtered through that title challengers Oxford's game against Gerrards Cross at the Oxford University Press Sports Ground had been washed out with the visitors, who are relegated, on 77-3 batting first. The two results see Horspath increase their advantage at the top to 20 points, with Amersham ten points behind Oxford in third. In the highly unlikely scenario that the leaders fail to pick up a point at home to Datchet in their last game and Oxford were to triumph at Thame Town and join them on level points and games won, Horspath would still be champions by virtue of losing fewer games. Reflecting on their success and the circumstances in which it was achieved, Eason said: "Obviously we are delighted to be going back up considering it is a strong league. "It was quite strange. I think we are all just really pleased with what we have done so far, but we are still concentrating on the last game and finishing off with a win. "The end of last year was gut-wrenching and we didn't want to be in a situation where it comes down to the last game with work still to do. What happened on Saturday fell very kindly for us. "We enjoyed the promotion side of it and we will enjoy the championship win next week. "I am very pleased and very proud." Horspath were again indebted to a strong performance from their bowlers who worked well as a unit to restrict Amersham to 151 all out after putting the hosts in to bat. The breakthrough came with the score on 25 when Edward Bowcock was caught behind by Joey Todd off Adam Price. Bruce Friedrichs and Robert Viney moved the total on to 96, before left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher really swung the game Horspath's way with a superb spell. He had Viney caught at first slip by Will Eason for 29, and in the next over captain Andrew Viney was caught behind off Pat Foster for a duck. Belcher's inswinging arm ball then defeated Sri Lankan Maduka Liyanapathiranage - also without scoring - to make it 98-4. Horspath tightened their grip on the Amersham batsmen with three wickets falling on 112. Richard Stephenson was adjudged lbw to Belcher, before Jamil Faruq took two wickets with consecutive deliveries as Friedrichs was caught at mid-on by Robbie Eason for a fluent 61 off 70 balls with eight fours, and Hugh Jackson was bowled for nought. Faruq struck again with Paul Langley providing Todd with his third catch, making it 129-8. Chris Owen hit a breezy 26 from 33 balls to lift Amersham up to 150, before he was caught by Foster at second slip off Price. In the same over, Adam Crossley shouldered arms to Price and was given out lbw. Price finished with 3-22, Faruq 3-29, Belcher 3-41 and Foster 1-24 as Amersham lost their last nine wickets for 55 runs. Openers Robbie Eason and Jamie Stead got Horspath's run chase off to a steady start, putting on 48 before the latter was caught at extra cover by Andrew Viney off Owen for 27. Jimmy Phillips had made 19 when he played on to a delivery from Lines for 19, making it 85-2. Eason and Harrison Ward took the score to 119 when a mix-up saw the latter run out by a direct hit at the non-striker's end by Stephenson for 15. One run later, Shahbaz Ali went first ball, caught behind by Robert Viney off Crossley. Eason's patient innings came to an end when he turned a bouncer from Alex Lines to Jackson around the corner for 44, making it 137-5. Lines then bowled Foster, and it was left to Adam Price (19no), accompanied by Todd, to secure victory - and the title - at 152-6 with a single to mid-wicket, sparking Horspath's celebrations. It had taken 47 overs to get the runs with Lines (3-28) heading an Amersham accurate attack, which also saw off-spinner Liyanapathiranage concede just 20 runs from his ten overs.
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