Generosity abounds at successful Feast day

Horspath and the President's XI with members and guests. Pictures: Rob Judges

GENEROSITY, it seemed, knew no bounds at the annual Horspath Feast match.

From the customary warm welcome to the traditionally magnificent lunch and, as it would transpire, the President XI's declaration, it was a day when magnaminity was in no short supply. The only thing missing amidst a run of sparkling September days was sunshine, with grey skies prevailing for proceedings. 

However, the President XI batsmen were quick to light up the morning with some scintillating strokeplay after being put in to bat by Horspath skipper Will Eason. Horspath old boy Ben Thompson, who hit a brilliant unbeaten century in the fixture last year, looked in the mood to repeat the feat as he moved serenely on to 17 before Liam Manley got one through his defences to make it 30-1.

President's XI captain Neil Megson and Horspath skipper Will Eason
flank umpires Mark Acock and Bob Chamberlain at the toss

Oxford Downs's Darryl Woods was next to go, having made 16 when his stumps were disturbed by an Ed Oakley delivery to leave the President's XI 40-2. Will Briggs and Dave Eaton took the score on to 71 before off-spinner Alfie Turner, making his Feast debut aged 15, bowled the latter, but that only served to bring Stokenchurch captain Chris North to the crease.

Fully embracing the social spirit of the Feast, he was soon peppering the boundaries with a superb display of clean hitting. He raced to fifty off just 34 balls, bringing up his half-century with a straight six, as lunch arrived with the President's XI 164-4.

Members, guests and sponsors then enjoyed an excellent spread of food prepared by the club's chef Hayden Moon and his team operating out of their Michelin star restaurant 'Le Moonoir!' Amusing speeches followed by Max Eason, on behalf of the club, and Banbury stalwart Neil Megson, captaining the opposition for Horspath president Denis Walker.

Light rain saw play prorogued (apologies but I just had to get that word in before the end of the season!) as lunch extended to more than two hours before umpires Mark Acock and Bob Chamberlain gave the go-ahead for the resumption. Briggs had made 46 from 55 balls with nine fours when he was bowled by off-spinner Harrison Ward making a welcome reappearance at his old club, having moved to Sussex to continue his career.

President Denis Walker with members, guests and sponsors

North moved on to 70 off 53 deliveries, which contained seven fours and six sixes, when his highly entertaining knock ended when left-arm spinner Robin Pykett enticed him to hole out to Robbie Eason at long off.

Dave Ward won the family bragging rights by successfully negotiating his son's bowling before retiring for 13, which left Wes Morrick to slam an unbeaten 21 from 14 balls enabling the declaration to come on 204-5 with Horspath having used ten bowlers.

It gave the hosts what would turn out to be a minimum of 31 overs to get the runs, and the President's XI could hardly have reckoned on Horspath's batting firing in such spectacular fashion after the frailties they had shown during the Home Counties Premier League season.

Openers Dominic O'Connor and Tom Coleman unleashed a barrage of boundaries as Horspath got off to a flying start. Megson turned to his England Over 50s teammate Shaun Miller in a bid to stop the run spree, and the Shipton-under-Wychwood left-arm spinner made the breakthrough with the score on 82 by bowling O'Connor in the ninth over for a splendid 46 from 33 balls, which contained 11 fours highlighted by some cracking off drives.

Horspath's ladies are all smiles during the Feast match

Coleman maintained the onslaught with some powerful hitting going to his half-century, which included eight fours and three sixes, before retiring on 52 off 29 deliveries with the score on 113. However, there was no let-up for the President's XI as Harrison Ward and Kyle Hopper continued to keep scorer Mick Warren busy.

Ward made a run-a-ball 20 before being bowled by Miller. Hopper stormed on, though, in imperious fashion. The Zimbabwean all-rounder had made 50 from 39 deliveries with six fours and a six when he retired with the total on 195.

It was then left to Robbie Eason (26no) and Turner to see Horspath home to victory at 207-2 off just 26.1 overs - and bring the curtain down on the season before the festivities continued long into the night.

Posted by: Russ