YOUNG Alfie Turner shone with a five-wicket haul in Horspath 2nd's nail-biting one-wicket defeat at Bledlow Village in Cherwell League Division 2.
The 14-year-old spinner returned excellent figures of 5-71 from 13.1 overs, but it wasn't enough to stop the hosts chasing down Horspath's 266-8 after they had chosen to bat.
Chris Jones starred in Horspath's innings with 81 off 78 balls, which included two sixes and ten fours, while skipper Dom O'Connor made 52 from 99 deliveries with a six and eight boundaries. Dan Todd weighed in with a brisk 33 and Swapnil Kulkarni made 28 as Harry Bartlett took 3-81.
Will Woodward top-scored in Bledlow's run chase, hitting two sixes and 14 fours in his 97 from 77 balls, while opener Michael Winson made 70 and Harry Bartlett 64. But all three fell to Turner, whose terrific spell along with Ryan Hicks's 3-44 gave Horspath a chance only for Bledlow's last pair to see the hosts home.
Horspath 3rd slid to a seven-wicket defeat at second-placed Aston Rowant 3rd in Division 5. Choosing to bat first, Horspath were bowled out for 135, with only Faizaan Abbas and Jonathan Hedges making any headway with 27 apiece, as Jamie Revill (3-28) and Benjamin Taunton (3-58) led the way for the hosts.
Horspath's total never looked like being enough as Rowant clinched victory at 139-3, despite good spells from Luke Heritage (2-39) and Charlie Turner (1-15). Mark Walker (34) and Adrian Summons (31) shared an opening stand of 49, before Revill (35no) and Dave Ridgley (28no) saw Rowant home.
Posted by: Russ