Horspath Past - 2018 Bernard Tollett Oxon Cup Final

WITH the use of previously unpublished pictures, it's a short step back in time as we return to the 2018 Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup Final - a game that had virtually everything.

Horspath captain Will Eason receives the Bernard
Tollett Oxfordshire Cup from former Oxon and
then Yorkshire paceman Jack Brooks

Those lucky enough to be at the picturesque Sir Paul Getty's Ground below the Chiltern Hills at Wormsley, near Stokenchurch, on that sunny mid-September Saturday were treated to a thrilling match the likes of which may not be seen again for a long time. 

Horspath came out on top by four wickets with three balls to spare in a spectacular T20 clash against Oxford Downs, but that doesn't really even begin to tell half the story.

Brilliant batting by George Sandbach, who played one of the greatest innings in the final's 47-year history, with a sensational 129 off 69 balls took Downs to a formidable 193-3 after they had been put in to bat.

His stunning innings included 13 fours and five sixes. In the context of the game, off-spinner Tom Cosford's figures of 1-23 from his four overs were all the more admirable, but there was little doubt Horspath faced a daunting run chase.

Captain Will Eason remembers: "I think the thing that sticks out to me was that it was such a good wicket and the outfield was so quick. I thought 170-175 would have been about par, so when they got 193 they were just a little bit above where I was hoping they would be. But it was one of those games where anything that got hit through the infield and wasn't stopped just went to the boundary in both innings.

Shahbaz Ali, scorer Tommy Pritchard and Jamil Faruq
celebrate Horspath's Oxfordshire Cup triumph

"George basically had the game by the scruff of the neck. He manipulated the field really well. We didn't bowl particularly well, but that doesn't take anything away from his innings. We had a very good side, but the one thing we really missed that day was Lloyd (Belcher).

"When you look at our bowling attack that day it was all pace on the ball even with Tom Cosford playing. He bowls it pretty quickly and then there was myself, Jehan (Mohammed), (Darryl) Browny and Liam (Manley) all bowling a nice pace for that sort of wicket. Both teams missed someone to take the pace off the ball."

Horspath, inspired by an explosive half-century from Cosford, got off to a blistering start in reply. The big-hitting all-rounder hammered 52 from just 18 deliveries with four fours and five sixes. Brown, with 37 from 25 balls, and Shahbaz Ali, with a run-a-ball 29, kept Horspath on track. With two overs to go, 20 were required for victory and ten came off the penultimate over boosted by a massive six over mid-wicket from Jamil Faruq.

It was then that the umpires stepped in to inform Downs they had gone over the allotted time for bowling their 20 overs, and awarded Horspath six penalty runs, leaving four required for victory off the final over. Singles came from the first two balls, before Eason fittingly hit the winning boundary over square leg to spark wild Horspath celebrations. The captain was unbeaten on 29 from 19 balls, while Faruq's 16 not out came off just eight deliveries.

Cup kings Will Eason and Jehan Mohammed

Eason adds: "For the final at that venue it was pretty special. It was a lovely day and a big crowd. A lot of people from the earlier final stayed and watched and there was a county youth presentation going on with lots of kids playing beyond the boundary, so it was a brilliant day.

"At half-time probably only about one per cent of the people there thought we might win and I was not one of that one per cent. When you are chasing that type of total to get nearly 200 you would have thought someone would have to get 80, 90 or 100 to have any chance, but with one score of 50 and others chipping in made it quite surreal as well.

"Tom got us going. The thing with the wicket and the pink balls is that they don't swing and when they are hard he could really cash in. which is what he did. He was out just after the powerplay and he had made the ball a lot softer. We were able to keep that momentum throughout.

"Darryl kept us going and Shahbaz, who had just come back and started playing again but had played throughout the group games as well, played a really nice cameo. "Milly hit a couple of lusty blows and I was able to help us get over the line.

Will Eason and Tom Coleman in Oxon Cup joy

"Okay there were those six penalty runs, but the fact that everyone had been getting ten an over I still felt that we would have been okay. With the six runs the umpires wanted to penalise them 12 runs. I am not sure how many people know that. They were adamant about the six runs and were contemplating 12. It was good it didn't come to that as I didn't want us to just walk off and win it that way."

Watch this space in the coming days and weeks as we delve further into the Horspath archives. If you've got a game you would like featuring or a feat of brilliant batting or bowling drop me a text or call me, Russell Smith, on 07866 953987. It doesn't have to be a 1st team game, it could be from the 2nd, 3rd or 4th XIs or a youth team fixture.

The Oxford Mail's cup final report can be found by visiting https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/16885282.cricket-sandbachs-super-century-cant-stop-horspath-landing-oxfordshire-title/

Posted by: Russ