Horspath's hopes of run in Village Cup are dashed

HORSPATH bowed out of the Voneus Village Cup with a 42-run defeat at Aston Rowant in the second round. 

The match was a repeat of last year's Oxfordshire final - which saw Horspath claim their first county crown for 42 years - but this time the roles were reversed.

Cup loss

Rowant made 217-7 off their 40 overs after electing to bat, before the visitors were bowled out for 175. 

 

Horspath started well with the ball to have Rowant 37-2, and the home side had added just 16 more runs by the midway point of their innings.

But then Will Hammersley and skipper Chris Eaton shared a third-wicket stand of 154 as the hosts posted a challenging total. Hammersley hammered an excellent 94 off 73 balls with seven fours and three sixes, while Eaton made 71 from 110 deliveries with six fours.

Captain Patrick Foster (2-48) and Lloyd Belcher (2-55) were among the wickets, while Jehan Mohammed (1-27) produced another accurate spell along with Will Eason, whose eight overs cost 28 runs without reward.

Horspath were soon in trouble at 9-2 in reply with Dom Whatman (2-35) striking two early blows. Foster, with 39 off 28 balls, and Christopher Hofen (31) provided resistance in the middle order, but they both fell to leg-spinner Tristan Rossouw (4-31) as the visitors slumped to 120-8.

Charlie Turner (28) and Belcher (21no) provided a late flurry to the innings, but Horspath's hopes had long since gone when they were all out in the final over.

Posted by: Russ