Monday 23 July 2018

Brown and Faruq shine in Horspath draw

HORSPATH were denied victory by Tring Park's last pair in Home Counties Premier League Division 1 after Darryl Brown came agonisingly close to back-to-back centuries and Jamil Faruq claimed a five-wicket haul.

The draw sees Horspath increase their cushion over Oxford, who occupy the second relegation spot, to 34 points. After choosing to bat, the visitors lost Dominic O'Connor with 14 on the board, bowled by Simon Stanway. Opener Tom Coleman and James Fitzjohn moved the score on to 44 when the former was lbw to David Brent for 29.

Fitzjohn was then caught behind by Jeremy O'Neill off Stanway for 18, making it 60-3. Six runs later, Will Hawtin shouldered arms to Brent, and it could have been worse for Horspath as the in-form Brown was dropped at second slip on nought - a slip which was to prove very costly for the hosts.

The South African all-rounder and Stephen Green saw Horspath to lunch at 91-4, before the former had another escape two balls after the resumption when he was dropped at second slip again. He made the most of his good fortune, though, by completing a sixth half-century of the season to go with his 118 against Oxford last week. And when he reached 76 he set a Horspath record for most runs in a Home Counties season, passing the 595 posted by Rameez Raja two years ago.

Brown survived a third chance to mid-wicket as he put on 138 for the fifth wicket with Green, who played the ideal supporting role before he was stumped off Michael Payne for 39. Horspath's overseas star was finally out lbw for 96 attempting to sweep a delivery from off-spinner Shelvin Gumbs, making it 214-6. His excellent knock consisted of 117 balls and included 16 boundaries.

Horspath's innings then rather fell away with captain Will Eason caught and bowled by off-spinner Payne to leave the visitors 231-7. Jehan Mohammed made a handy 24 before he was given run out from Jack Rodnight's throw six runs later.

Without addition to the score, Faruq was caught first ball at long off by Rory Criddle off Gumbs for nought, and Horspath were 240 all out when Will Robertson fell to a catch by the same fielder at deep mid-wicket with Payne claiming another victim to finish with 3-50. Stanway (2-18), Gumbs (2-37) and Brent (2-58) were the other Tring wicket-takers.

Faruq then made an explosive impact with the ball to reduce Tring to 11-3. He bowled Lian Gough with the score on five, and four runs later repeated the feat to remove Andrew Dixon, before AJ Woodland became his third victim, caught at second slip by Brown, during a stunning opening spell of 3-9 from seven overs.

Payne and Gumbs moved the score on to 30 when the latter was lbw attempting to sweep a delivery from left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher, before Tring reached tea at 65-4. Brent had made a fluent 30 and put on 51 for the fifth wicket with Payne when he was caught and bowled by Brown.

Faruq returned to the attack to bowl Rodnight, leaving Tring 103-6 and one run later he completed his five-wicket haul by having Payne caught behind by Hawtin for 32. Horspath's wicket-keeper then produced a lightning-quick stumping to remove O'Neill off Belcher, and the visitors were really fancying their chances with Tring 114-8.

Criddle and Andy Harris dug in, though, to take the score to 156 when the latter was caught at slip by Eason to give Belcher his third victim. Horspath were sensing victory, but Criddle (37no) and Stanway, who was undefeated on nought from 29 balls, frustrated the visitors by seeing out the final seven overs without presenting a chance.

Faruq finished with terrific figures of 5-30, while Belcher's 3-64 came from 20 overs and Brown picked up 1-18.

Posted by: Russ