HORSPATH'S hopes of lifting the Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup were dashed with a 17-run defeat as Banbury completed a hat-trick of wins in the final at Wormsley. Charlie Hill was man-of-the-match after his impressive 69 from 55 balls steered the holders to 157-7 after they had been put in to bat. Banbury's innings was completed in torrential rain, which led to a 50-minute break between the innings. However, it relented for the game to resume just before the cut-off time for overs to be deducted. And the defending champions then produced a solid display with the ball as Horspath fell short on 140-6, despite a well-constructed 49 off 40 deliveries from Stephen Green. With a crowd of around 200 gathering in the stunning setting of Sir Paul Getty's Ground at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, Lloyd Sabin was quickly into his stride with two fours and an effortless straight six off Jason Cardy. But the Horspath paceman hit back when Tom Cosford took an excellent catch at mid-wicket to dismiss the Banbury skipper for 16 and make it 24-1. Two smart pieces of fielding by James Fitzjohn then reduced Banbury to 33-3. He took a good catch high to his right at point off Ian Slatcher's first ball to dismiss Tom Bartlett for 11, before running out Jack Wilkins for nought with a brilliant direct hit to the bowler's end in the same over. But Hill kept his composure and found a willing partner in Justin Lambden with the pair sharing a match-winning stand of 91 for the fourth wicket in 10.5 overs. Hill flicked a six over square leg, and brought the 100 up in the 14th over with one of a series of well-executed cut shots, before reaching his half-century in the next over with a neat deflection through third man. A lap shot down to fine leg brought him another boundary, while Lambden also kept the scoreboard ticking along before he was caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Lloyd Belcher off skipper Will Eason for 31 in the 17th over to leave Banbury 124-4. Imran Mohammed announced his arrival at the crease by blasting his first ball for a massive six over long off. Dark clouds had been gathering for some time, though, and when the rain arrived it hammered down. But with the umpires seemingly keen to see the innings completed play continued. Hill smashed a straight six in the penultimate over, before his excellent innings - which also included six boundaries - came to an end when he was bowled by Belcher's next ball, making it 144-5. The last over saw Mohammed run out by Slatcher's throw for a quickfire 19, before Ollie Wright was bowled by Cosford, the off-spinner returning Horspath's best figures of 1-20 from his four overs. Even the leader of Horspath's Barmy Army, Diddy's appearance on the ground dressed as Superman couldn't stop the rain, but after it finally relented good work by the ground staff enabled the game to resume. While Banbury had to contend bowling with a wet ball, Horspath were hampered by a slower outfield. However, Tom Coleman and Cosford got their run chase off to a good start, before the latter was caught behind by Neil Megson off Wright in the fourth over to make it 29-1. Coleman kept up the momentum with some crisp off drives only to fall lbw for 29 as he attempted to sweep 17-year-old leg-spinner Jamie Curtis, leaving Horspath 48-2 after seven overs. Fitzjohn and Green took the score to 82 when the former skied an attempted big hit off Sabin and Megson took a comfortable catch. Green kept Horspath in the hunt, hitting a cracking four through extra cover, but the run rate was slowly rising and Mark Skelton was next to go when he was stumped by the juggling Megson off Curtis. Green hammered a straight six as the 18th over ended with Horspath needing 36 for victory and his brave effort came to an end in the penultimate over when he was caught at cover by Wright off Sabin. Jamil Faruq slammed a straight six, but Horspath arrived at the last over requiring 28 to win. It looked too big a task and so it proved. Faruq was bowled by Hill off the third delivery as Banbury secured a well-deserved victory. Curtis was the pick of the Banbury attack with 2-16 from his four overs.
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