HORSPATH 2nd slipped to a three-wicket defeat against Shipton-under-Wychwood in Cherwell League Division 2 at the Recreation Ground.
The hosts were bowled out for 166 after electing to bat. Skipper Alex Thomas made a gritty 44 at the top of the order and Dougal Main hit three sixes in a fluent 30, but Horspath struggled against an accurate Shipton attack.
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| Alex Thomas hit 44 for Horspath 2nd |
Horspath reduced Shipton to 64-4 following a double strike by Mohson Rana (2-8) only for captain Tim Senior (43) and Arun White (42) to put on 66 for the fifth wicket and swing the game in the visitors' favour.
Asad Rafiq (2-41) returned to the Horspath attack, but Shipton had enough in hand to get over the line at 172-7 with Ian Lewis sealing their victory with a straight six.
Dan Jones hit his highest league score with an unbeaten 65 to help Horspath 3rd earn a hard-fought draw at Division 4A leaders Westcott.
Chasing the hosts' 250-8 after they had chosen to bat, Horspath were indebted to a fine partnership between Jones, and his father, Chris (40), for the fifth wicket as they closed on 216-7.
Opener Rick Hicks had made 29, but Waqas Ur-Rehman (3-44) sparked a flurry of wickets to put the visitors in trouble before Dan, whose previous best was 63 not out for Horspath 3rd at home to Leighton Buzzard 2nd in 2016, and Chris set about repairing the damage. Skipper Jamie Stead chipped in with 23, while Horspath's total was boosted by 37 extras.
Earlier, Ross Handley had taken 3-64 in Westcott's innings, while Hicks picked up 2-28. Openers Rehman Ullah (65) and Stuart Symes (44) got the hosts off to a flying start, before Tony Burcham (32) ensured they finished with a flourish.
Horspath 4th battled out a draw at home to Garsington and Cowley 2nd in Division 6B.
Young openers Hadi Ali (29) and Christopher Hofen (28) got the home side off to a solid start after they elected to bat.
Captain Craig Wharton (38) and Jonty Hedges (29) built on the foundation, but then the innings rather fell away with Horspath 162 all out off 36.2 overs. Hammad Anwar (3-22) and Sandeep Gumudelli (3-27) led Garsington's fightback with the ball.
Horspath's bowlers rose to the occasion, though, to restrict the visitors to 132-6 from 45 overs.
Opener Umang Goel (43) shone for Garsington, but wickets fell to Shreyas Anand (2-18), Arsalan Khattak (2-28), Josh Cummings (1-10) and Euan Barrett (1-21) before Waqqas Bhangoo (23no) and Venkatesh Kommineni (22no) took the visitors to the close.
Posted by: Russ