HORSPATH bounced back to winning ways with a convincing five-wicket victory at champions Finchampstead in a rain-affected Home Counties Premier League Division 1 clash. Chasing Finchampstead's 154-8 in a match reduced to 36 overs a side after putting the hosts in to bat, Horspath suffered a mid-innings wobble at 66-4, before debutant Mark Jefferson shared a match-winning fifth-wicket stand of 77 with Rameez Raja. Jefferson, who has joined from Colwall in Herefordshire, hit 40 from 34 balls, with a six and five fours, while Rameez finished unbeaten on 44 off 43 deliveries, to see the visitors home at 157-5. Jandre Coetzee took 3-31 for Finchampstead, but he couldn't stop Horspath cruising to victory with 5.4 overs to spare. The start had been delayed for 20 minutes due to rain. But once play got under way Ian Slatcher struck with his third ball, getting one to nip back and hit Matt Carter's middle stump for his first wicket for the club. Skipper Will Eason then knocked back Andrew House's off stump to make it 10-2. However, the rain returned with Finchampstead 27-2 after 8.5 overs, and a two-hour break saw the overs reduced. On the resumption, Billy Rogers and Greg Smith took the score to 43 when the latter was caught at point by Lloyd Belcher off Jamil Faruq for 23. Faruq struck again when he had skipper Gary Loveday caught behind by Robbie Eason, making it 61-4. And when Belcher bowled Coetzee one run later the visitors were well on top. However, Horspath were held up as Rogers continued to accumulate runs, while Josh Lincoln made a breezy 29 before being caught at long on by Tom Coleman off Slatcher with the score on 110. Craig Hodges also provided Rogers with useful support, before he was caught behind off Faruq to leave Finchampstead 151-7. Andrew Lazenbury was run out going for a second by a good throw from Rameez at deep extra cover to the bowler's end off the last ball of the innings. Rogers finished unbeaten on 67 from 89 balls, with a six and three fours. Faruq was the pick of the visitors' attack with 3-21, while Slatcher took 2-32. Horspath lost opener Robbie Eason with just three runs on the board when he played on to Coetzee. But Jamie Stead and Coleman took the score to 47 when the latter was bowled by Lazenbury for 29. Two wickets in quick succession then left the game in the balance as Stead was caught at mid-on by Doug Scholes off Max Uttley for 14 and Tom Cosford was snapped up by Carter at first slip off Coetzee without scoring. But Jefferson then took the attack to Finchampstead with some punchy on-drives, including a six over long-on which just cleared the fielder on the boundary, while Rameez combined some classy strokeplay with neat deflections. Jefferson's entertaining knock came to an end when he chipped a Coetzee delivery up to Scholes at mid-on. And it was left to Stephen Green to hit the winning boundary through mid-wicket. The excellent win sees Horspath move up to third place, with High Wycombe - next weekend's visitors - top.
Posted by: Russ
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