HORSPATH beat Great & Little Tew by virtue of losing fewer wickets after the two sides ended on tied scores in a thrilling Home Counties Premier League Twenty20 quarter-final at the Recreation Ground on Bank Holiday Monday. Now Horspath will join reigning HCPL T20 champions High Wycombe, Henley and Harefield on finals day at Burnham on Sunday, July 23. Needing ten of the last over to overhaul the hosts' 155-6 after electing to bowl first, Tew looked set for victory when Lloyd Brock smashed Will Eason's third delivery for a straight six after the visitors had picked up singles from the first two balls. A dot ball followed, before Brock skied the penultimate delivery and Mark Jefferson, running in from deep cover point, dived full length to take a brilliant catch inches from the ground. Brock had made a blistering 53 from 29 balls, including three sixes and five fours. That left Tew having lost six wickets like Horspath, but in the knowledge that if the scores finished tied they would lose as the hosts had a higher score at the end of the sixth over. With two, therefore, required of the last ball, Markus Jeacock was only able to play it out to square leg. And Tom Cosford ran in from the boundary to throw into wicket-keeper Robbie Eason, who whipped the bails off to run out the Tew batsman as he came back for a second, leaving Tew on 155-7. The hosts had held four fine catches - with three of them stunners. Jason Cardy pulled off a fine bit of fielding by running to his right at long-off to snap up Jordan Garrett off Lloyd Belcher for 24, before the roles were reversed following a rain break. Curtly Slatter had made 51 from 45 deliveries, with seven fours, when he smashed Cardy down the ground for what looked like a six only for Belcher to throw up a hand and discover to his delight that the ball had stuck for an amazing catch, before he raced off in celebration. Ian Slatcher then got in on the act, jumping to clasp the ball with both hands above his head on the extra cover boundary and dismiss Robbie Shurmer off Jehan Mohammed. With Cosford doing well to concede just seven runs off the penultimate over - during which he trapped Robbie Catling lbw - it set the game up for a pulsating finish, with Jefferson's diving catch proving crucial. Cardy picked up 2-30, while Cosford and Belcher both retured figures of 1-21. Jefferson had earlier continued his rich vein of form in Horspath's innings, hitting an unbeaten 56 from 43 balls, which included a six and eight fours, while Tom Coleman made 47 as Lawrence Brock took 2-24.
Posted by: Russ
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