Horspath humbled after spectacular collapse

HORSPATH collapsed in spectacular style for a humbling eight-wicket home thrashing by Great & Little Tew in Home Counties Premier League Division 1. The high-riding hosts, who fielded Pakistan overseas star Rameez Raja and former England Test paceman Ajmal Shahzad in tandem for the first time, crashed from 99-1 to 138 all out after being put in to bat by the visitors, who started the day second-bottom. There was no indication of the carnage to follow as Tom Coleman and Robbie Eason put on 47 for the first wicket, before the latter was bowled for 16 by left-arm seamer Lawrence Brock. Even then Horspath looked on course to post a challenging total as James Fitzjohn joined Coleman to take the score to 99 when the former fished at a delivery from medium pacer Andy Harris outside the off stump and was caught behind by Harry Smith for 25. Three runs later, Coleman was given out lbw for 58 off 92 balls with tens fours as he attempted to sweep left-arm spinner Joe Thomas. Horspath were 108-3 after lunch, but after the break it turned into a procession as Thomas and Harris polished off the home side. With the score on 112, Mark Jefferson skewed a shot into the covers off Thomas where Josh Garrett dived to his left to take a good low catch. Shahzad was then bowled by Harris for nought, making it 113-5. One run later, Stephen Green suffered the same fate against Thomas, and Raja, back in the side after returning from Karachi, fell on the same score when he chipped a catch to Lawrence Brock at mid-wicket off Harris. Skipper Will Eason went without scoring, caught behind off Harris and Thomas then trapped Alex Thomas lbw to make it 119-9. It was a devastating collapse as eight wickets had gone down for just 20 runs, with the last six in that sequence producing just seven runs. Jamil Faruq attempted to salvage some respectability, but after he had smashed 19 off 14 balls he sliced a delivery from Thomas to Joe White at third man in going for another big hit and Horspath were all out off 45.3 overs. Thomas finished with impressive figures of 5-37, while Harris provided excellent support with 4-22. The home side's paltry total was never likely to be enough, and so it proved. Shahzad gave them some hope when Joe White was caught behind for 13 by Thomas, attempting to hook a bouncer to make it 17-1 in the 15th over. But a second-wicket stand of 65 between Smith and Jordan Garrett steered Tew towards their target. Smith had made 50 from 78 balls with nine fours when he was trapped lbw by Faruq, leaving Tew 82-2. But Garrett, who finished unbeaten on 51 off 117 deliveries with seven boundaries, and Lloyd Brock (22no) then shared an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 59 to see the visitors home at 141-2 from 44 overs. The heavy defeat sees Horspath slip to fifth place.

Posted by: Russ