Monday 30 July 2018

Cosford's cracking knock lights up rain-hit draw

Lloyd Belcher and Tom Cosford share a joke at the
end of Horspath's innings. Pictures: Helen Messenger
TOM Cosford lit up Horspath's rain-affected draw at home to Finchampstead in Home Counties Premier League Division 1 with a hard-hitting unbeaten half-century.

Cosford smashed 69 not out from 48 balls to take the hosts to 231-9 after they had been put in to bat and saw their innings reduced to 58 overs by showers. Finchampstead were 107-2 in reply when the game was washed out after tea.

Openers Tom Coleman and Dominic O'Connor got Horspath off to a good start before they both fell with the score on 63. Coleman had been the more fluent of the pair with nine fours in his 39 from 41 balls when he was trapped lbw attempting to sweep left-arm spinner Adam Dewes. And in the next over, O'Connor hit a full toss from spinner Josh Lincoln to Dewes to fall for 11.

Darryl Brown, who has been in terrific form this summer, was next to go for 15, pulling a long hop from Lincoln to Greg Smith at mid-wicket, making it 79-3. Four runs later, Robbie Eason was given out caught behind by Simon Bell off Dewes and Horspath were in a spot of bother. Will Hawtin and Stephen Green saw Horspath to lunch at 111-4, though, and went on to put on 62 for the fifth wicket, before the latter became Dewes' third victim, caught at slip by Dan Lincoln for 17.

Hawtin had made 38 when he was caught at long off by Edward Oliver off Asim Hussain, making it 157-6. Two runs later, skipper Will Eason was bowled attempting to cut a delivery from Lincoln, who then got one through Will Robertson's defences, making it 179-8.

Cosford was managing the strike well, though, and the visitors reached 200 before Liam Manley hit a full toss from Lincoln to the spinner's brother, Dan, at mid-wicket to go without scoring as the Finchampstead bowler completed a five-wicket haul. And Horspath's big-hitting all-rounder ensured the innings finished with a flourish by taking 22 off the last over bowled by Hussain.

Horspath's Will Hawtin hits out on the way to making 38
He went to his half-century by launching the first delivery down the ground for six, and repeated the shot off the fourth and fifth balls before sweeping the last one for four in extravagant fashion.

The unbeaten stand of 31 for the tenth wicket with Lloyd Belcher (2no) was also a Home Counties club record, beating the undefeated partnership of 26 between Paul Jeacock (16no) and Mark Skelton (7no) against Farnham Royal in 2011. Cosford's entertaining knock included four sixes and eight boundaries, while Lincoln finished with 5-24 and Dewes 3-43.

With Manley back to lead the attack after recovering from a side strain, Horspath made a tidy start with the ball. However, Dewes and Smith stood firm, putting on an opening stand of 75, before Will Eason made the breakthrough, having the latter caught at mid-off by Manley for 37.

Finchampstead were 92-1 at tea when rain brought about a lengthy delay, seeing the visitors' overs reduced from 50 to 44. On the resumption, Brown bowled Oliver to make it 102-2, before another deluge washed the game out with Finchampstead 107-2 off 34 overs and Dewes unbeaten on 48. Brown had taken 1-4 and Eason 1-19.

Both sides pick up eight points from the draw, and Horspath remain in eighth place, 35 points ahead of Oxford, who occupy the second relegation spot.

Posted by: Russ