Phillips on fire as Horspath open cup defence

Jimmy Phillips - 96*

JIMMY Phillips hit a sparkling unbeaten 96 as Horspath opened their Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup defence with an emphatic 106-run home win over Oxenford in Pool 3.

Phillips smashed ten fours and three sixes in his 57-ball knock to take Horspath to 208-2 off 20 overs after they elected to bat first. The left-hander shared in an opening stand of 105 with Robbie Eason, who hammered five fours and two sixes in his 48 from 32 deliveries. Darryl Brown chipped in with 32 off 21 balls, before Stephen Green cracked a quick-fire unbeaten 25.

Oxenford's reply got off to a brisk start, but they were pegged back by left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher, who took 2-6 from his four overs. Opener Junaiz Aziz made 40 before becoming one of two victims for skipper Will Eason (2-3) as the visitors closed on 102-8. Mark Skelton, Luke Heritage and Swapnil Kulkarni all picked up a wicket apiece.

Scorecard

Horspath's next game is away to East Oxford in two weeks' time.

Posted by: Russ