HORSPATH booked their place in the Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup final at Wormsley next month by topping the South Group with a sparkling seven-wicket win at Aston Rowant.
Going into their final group game, Will Eason's side knew they had to secure victory to top the section for a spot in the premier final, while defeat would leave them in the Wilf Bennett Trophy final for runners-up.
Rowant posted a challenging 175-4 off their 20 overs after choosing to bat. But Tom Cosford got Horspath's run chase off to a blistering start with 57 from 28 balls, which included three sixes and eight fours, before he was bowled by Ben Knowler with the score on 77.
Opener Tom Coleman and Stephen Green kept Horspath ahead of the run rate, before the former fell to a catch off Knowler for 29, making it 99-2. Green was lbw to Dominic Whatman for 20 to leave Horspath 137-3, but Darryl Brown, with an unbeaten 40 off 30 balls, and Mark Skelton (21no) saw the visitors home with five balls to spare.
Cosford had earlier been the pick of the Horspath attack with 2-26 from his four overs, including the important early wicket of Rowant captain Josh Smith. Leo Bethell hammered 54 from 30 deliveries with a six and seven fours, before he was lbw to Jehan Mohammed, making it 77-2. Cosford claimed his second victim, trapping Chris Watling lbw for 42 off 39 to leave Rowant 122-3.
But Alex Jewell, who was stumped by Green off Brown for 35 late in the innings, and Dan Moriarty (31no) stepped up the tempo to take Rowant to their final total. However, it wasn't enough for the hosts and Horspath, who won six of their seven group games, can now look forward to attempting to go one better than last year when they line up in the county's showpiece T20 final.
Posted by: Russ