Oakley claims 200th Cherwell wicket in Horspath 2nd's win

ED Oakley captured his 200th Cherwell League wicket as he returned excellent figures of 5-25 in Horspath 2nd's 75-run victory in their season-closing Division 2 game at Shipton-under-Wychwood. 

The 40-year-old seamer took five of the first six Shipton wickets to fall during a devastating ten-over spell. It saw the hosts crash from 67-0 to 102-6 in pursuit of Horspath's 280 all out - which had been built around a fine 92 from Rob Wight after the visitors had been put in to bat. 

Ed Oakley took 200th wicket

Oakley made the breakthrough in Shipton's reply by having opener Ben Norgrove (34) caught behind by Alex Thomas - one of five victims for the wicket-keeper/captain - and he reached his career milestone when he bowled Charlie Miller for 15 to cap his five-wicket haul. 

Zak Jarvis resisted with 50 from 73 balls, but Shipton finally succumbed for 205 with a wicket apiece for brothers Alfie and Charlie Turner, Josh Richardson and Asad Rafiq. 

Wight had earlier starred in Horspath's innings with nine fours and three sixes in his 82-ball knock. 

He shared a 63-run stand for the sixth wicket with Asad Rafiq (29) after Thomas (44) and Alfie Turner (17) had put on 65 for the first wicket. Charlie Turner, meanwhile, chipped in with a handy 27 down the order as Shaun Miller picked up 4-47. 

The win sees Horspath move up a spot to finish in fifth place. 

Saif Dogar hit an unbeaten 48 as Horspath 3rd ended their Division 4A campaign with a three-wicket defeat at home to Westcott. 

His knock helped Horspath - who had elected to bat - post 131 all out after the top order had fallen to Rehman Ullah (4-23) and Waqas Ur-Rehman (2-44). Joe Gibbs (25) provided Dogar with good support, before James Bateman (3-31) wrapped up the innings. 

Horspath's bowlers then made Westcott battle for the runs with tight ten-over spells from Jason Cardy (3-26), Andy Cummings (2-17), Joe Gibbs (1-33) and Dogar (1-34), before the visitors secured victory. Dale Sweetman top-scored with 29. 

The defeat sees Horspath drop two places in the table to finish fifth. 

Skipper Craig Wharton and Stuart Berry hit half-centuries as Horspath 4th completed their Division 6B programme with a 40-run win at lowly Garsington and Cowley 2nd. 

The victory sees Horspath finish in fourth place, just four points adrift of East Oxford 2nd - who secured enough points to finish third despite being beaten at Radley - with three teams promoted to Tier 5. 

Having been put in to bat, Horspath posted 250-9 with Wharton hitting an unbeaten 63, which included eight fours and a six. Berry made 51 with seven fours, while there were also handy contributions from opener Nigel Coltman (29) and Lukas Yendole (25) as Sandeep Gumudelli took 3-42. 

Horspath then reduced Garsington to 21-3 with Josh Cummings striking twice and Gareth Richardson taking a wicket on his debut. Cummings (3-41) added to his tally, but then Kamaljit Sharma and Waqqas Bhangoo hammered 75 apiece as they put on 117 for the fifth wicket. 

However, after they fell to Euan Barrett and Yendole respectively, Hadi Ali (2-33) and Berry (2-41) wrapped up the Garsington innings with the hosts bowled out for 210.

Posted by: Russ