HORSPATH'S hopes of staying up in Home Counties Premier League Division 1 are hanging by a thread following a 175-run home hammering by champions Henley. Will Eason's side are now 16 points from safety behind Great & Little Tew, whom they visit in the final round of matches next Saturday. To pull off a miraculous escape Horspath must win, and at the same time stop their Oxfordshire rivals getting the five points they need to secure their status. Horspath sunk deeper into the relegation mire after conceding a club league record 335-6 as Henley celebrated their title triumph in style. Electing to bat first, the champions were quickly into their stride with skipper Michael Roberts and Tom Oldershaw putting on 50 for the first wicket, before the latter played on to a good delivery from debutant Jason Cardy for 28. Matt Rowe, who suffered a broken hand while batting when the two sides met in June, showed no ill effects by moving the score on to 102 with Roberts when the Henley captain was bowled by Eason for 37. Rowe and Richard Morris maintained the momentum with 85 for the third wicket, before the former was caught behind by Robbie Eason off Lloyd Belcher for a superb 80 from 88 balls, which contained two sixes and ten fours. There was no let-up for Horspath, though, with Euan Woods's arrival at the crease, and he helped take the score on to 222 when Morris was caught by Tom Cosford off Ian Slatcher for a brisk 40. Twelve runs later, Belcher trapped David Barnes lbw, and the left-arm spinner claimed his third victim when Woods was caught by Stephen Green for a lively 43, making it 273-6. But there was to be no further joy for Horspath as Stewart Davison (44no) and Euan Brock (25no) ensured the innings finished with a flourish. Belcher ended with figures of 3-58, while Cosford turned in a tidy spell of off-spin with his ten overs coming at a cost of 41 runs. However, Henley's total was the highest Horspath had conceded - surpassing the 307-7 High Wycombe posted two years ago. It was a daunting target for the hosts, but they made a solid start with Robbie Eason and Tom Coleman putting on 57 for the first wicket. But then three wickets fell in an over without addition to the score as left-arm seamer Tahir Afridi triggered an almighty collapse, which saw the hosts slump to 83-7. Coleman was first to go lbw for 26. Two balls later, Mark Jefferson was caught behind by Stewart Davison, and Cosford was then lbw first ball. Just six runs had been added when Green was bowled by Afridi, and Robbie Eason's valiant resistance was ended when he was caught by Roberts off left-arm spinner Gurveer Singh for 34, making it 75-5. Two wickets then fell on 83 with Woods having Will Eason caught by Morris, before the Henley off-spinner bowled Slatcher first ball. Horspath were in disarray, but Mark Skelton and Asad Rafiq, making his first 1st XI appearance of the season, shared a spirited stand of 51 for the eighth wicket. They were parted when Rafiq was caught by Tom Nugent for 17 off Euan Brock, who then trapped Cardy lbw for nought, making it 148-9. Skelton was batting superbly at the other end and he went to an excellent half-century with his third six. He had just hit his fourth maximum to move on to 60 - his highest Home Counties score - when he was lbw to Woods with his 42-ball knock also including seven fours as Horspath were 160 all out. Afridi finished with 4-35, while Woods returned figures of 3-35.
Posted by: Russ
No comments:
Post a Comment