HORSPATH consolidated their mid-table position in Home Counties Premier League Division 2 with a hard-fought four-wicket victory at Chesham. Having put the home side in to bat,
Horspath looked as if they were set to skittle the opposition for a meagre total after reducing them to 137-9.
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| Tom Coleman hit a fine 76. Picture: Rob Judges |
However, Horspath hit back with Tom Coleman (76) and Sulaiman Hussain paving the way for Patrick Foster (37no) to clinch a third straight victory at 198-6 with nine balls to spare.
The visitors had got off to a dream start after inserting Chesham with home captain Matt Rance smacking Anupam Sanklecha's first ball into the covers where Horspath skipper Lloyd Belcher took a brilliant diving catch.
Chesham had reached 15-1 off five overs when rain led to an interruption, which saw the game reduced to 45 overs-a-side.
On the resumption, Will Eason, fresh from his five-wicket haul against Burnham a week earlier, trapped Mark Eteen lbw to make it 24-2, and five runs later Sanklecha bowled Ben Harris. Patrick Foster then came into the attack, earning lbw decisions against Daniyal Akhtar and Theo Wetherall to leave Chesham 53-5.
Opener Alex Morgan has proved a thorn in Horspath's side before, though, and he stood firm to add 53 for the sixth wicket with Pip France, who smashed 39 off 30 balls before being bowled by Jehan Mohammed.
The Horspath seamer claimed a second victim when James Anderson edged into Will Hawtin's gloves for 16 to make it 136-7.
With just one run added and Morgan unbeaten on 49, Belcher struck with successive deliveries to remove Josh Tollerfield lbw and Asad Rehman stumped.
Horspath were firmly on top, but they were unable to finish off Chesham as Morgan found a willing ally in Aslam. The pair ensured the hosts posted a challenging score as Morgan expanded his strokeplay to end the innings unbeaten on 89 from 126 balls with eight fours and two sixes, while Aslam made 16 not out.
The wickets were shared around between Foster (2-30), Belcher (2-33), Sanklecha (2-36), Mohammed (2-64) and Eason (1-28).
Sanklecha remains at the top of the Division 2 wicket-taker standings with 37 victims - one ahead of Amersham captain Sam Helm on 36 and two in front of Great Brickhill skipper Garth Davson on 35.
Coleman and Pete Ades got Horspath's run chase off to a fine start with 54 for the first wicket before the latter was bowled by Rance for 14.
Coleman went on to his second half-century of the season - to add to his club record 133 against Slough - sharing a stand of 73 for the third wicket with Sulaiman Hussain, who made a fluent 45 from 54 balls before being bowled by Rehman.
Coleman was adjudged lbw to France two runs later for an excellent 76 off 119 deliveries with nine fours and a six, and at 163-6 the game was in the balance. But Foster, supported by Sanklecha, calmed Horspath's nerves to see the side home.
After surviving two early chances, Foster carried on where he left off the previous week when he made an explosive unbeaten 91 to hammer 37 not out from 24 balls, sealing victory in style by hitting successive deliveries for six and four in the penultimate over.
Horspath remain in fifth place with two games remaining - away to Harefield and at home to Wokingham.
Posted by: Russ