The skipper took 4-33 as Cumnor were bowled out for 138 after deciding to bat, before seeing the visitors through a mid-innings wobble with an unbeaten 59 to secure victory.
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| Patrick Foster starred with bat and ball |
Tight opening spells from Will Eason, who made an early breakthrough, and Max Smith saw Horspath on top as Cumnor's batsmen found runs hard to come by.
Former Horspath batsman Sulaiman Hussain and Sam Cross took the score to 48 before both fell within the space of two balls. Amin Rafiq had Hussain caught by Elliot Ruff for 23, before Foster found the edge of Cross's bat and wicketkeeper Will Hawtin accepted the chance with the Cumnor opener having made 20.
Skipper William Bull and Harry Ackland moved Cumnor on to 89 when Lloyd Belcher struck in the last over before lunch by removing the Cumnor captain with Ruff taking his second catch.
It sparked a massive collapse when play resumed with six wickets going down for just 11 runs as Foster joined left-arm spinner Belcher to rip through the hosts' batting with the pair picking up four wickets apiece.
Cumnor had crashed to 100-9, and it was only a last-wicket stand of 38 between Tom Lydford Brace (18) and George Bacon which took them to their final total.
Foster's wickets came off 17.3 overs and included six maidens, while Belcher finished with 4-29 from 16 overs. Eason (1-16) and Rafiq (1-20) were the other wicket-takers.
Ruff was making a welcome return to the Horspath batting line-up, and he gave the run chase early impetus. He had made a fluent 33 when he was caught by Ackland off Andrew Roberts to make it 44-2.
That triggered a mini collapse with three wickets going down for 12 runs as Cumnor suddenly sensed a chance at 56-4. But Foster joined Smith to steady the ship in a fifth-wicket stand of 82 to take Horspath to the brink of victory.
Horspath's captain scored freely, while Smith dug in as the pair reached tea at 99-4. Following the resumption, Foster kept up the pace, hitting three boundaries in the 41st over with the second one taking him to an excellent half-century.
The scores were level when Smith's defiant knock came to an end, caught behind by Bull off Ackland for 21, and Horspath lost another wicket off the next ball before Hawtin hit the winning run to secure victory at 139-6 in the 43rd over. Foster's runs came off 66 balls with nine fours and a six.
Horspath will be looking to build on this victory next Saturday when they entertain second-placed Chesham, who crashed to a 143-run defeat at home to Harefield.
Posted by: Russ