With shadows advancing across the Recreation Ground on the longest day of the year, the home side - chasing Tiddington's 129-8 off 20 overs after the visitors chose to bat - were 111-5 with two overs remaining.
 |
| Christopher Hofen (left) leaves the ground with Lloyd Belcher after steering Horspath home |
But the game was still in the balance at the start of the 19th over. Skipper Max Smith hit the first ball bowled by Will Johnson-Coleman for four only to see the next one crash of his bat into the stumps.
Lloyd Belcher picked up a single off the next delivery, before teenager Christopher Hofen emerged as the match-winner with a two followed by a cracking boundary through extra cover and a single to retain the strike.
It left Horspath requiring seven to win off the final over. No runs were scored off Ryan Chapman's first ball, before Hofen's extra cover drive beat the despairing dives of two Tiddington fielders to smack into the boundary by the cycle speedway track.
Singles came off the next two balls, before Hofen hit the winning run off the penultimate delivery, taking Horspath to 130-6 to the cheers of the home contingent. His unbeaten 25 came off 18 balls and was notable for some powerful offside drives.
Earlier, Phillips's knock had included five fours and a six, which the fielder, seemingly blinded by the setting sun on the day of the summer solstice at wide long on, got his hands to, but was only able to spill it over the boundary.
That was one of just two maximums in the Horspath innings, though. Will Hawtin (17) hit the other when he slapped a six on to the Village Hall in the 14th over, but the home side were unable to register a boundary of any kind in the next four overs as the visitors fought back to set up an exciting finish.
Johnson-Coleman (2-28) was the most successful of a tidy Tiddington bowling unit, while Matt Maule and Bradley Rose, with 1-22 apiece, were the most economical.
Horspath's bowlers had the upper hand in Tiddington's innings with Charlie Turner (2-15) and Josh Richardson (2-28) to the fore, while Amin Rafiq and Smith both took 1-17.
Will Goodman top-scored for the visitors with 38 from 46 balls, while Nathan Brooks chipped in with 22 and Johnson-Coleman smashed two of his side's four sixes in a rapid 18.
Horspath bid to make it two wins out of two next Tuesday when they visit Aston Rowant, who lost their opening game at Oxford Downs by five wickets.
Posted by: Russ
Posted by: Russ