Horspath Cricket Club News story

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Horspath handed Village Cup tie at Baldons

17 Feb 2023

HORSPATH have been handed a trip down memory lane with a first-round tie at the Baldons in the Voneus Village Cup first round on Sunday, April 23.
The tie will carry an air of nostalgia for many members with Horspath regular visitors to play at the village green in days of yesteryear.
With a road by the boundary, fielding could be hazardous both with passing vehicles and an unpredictable bounce as balls flew off the tarmac.
Teas were always a highlight with a splendid spread laid out on trestle tables in front of the rickety pavilion, before the evening was rounded off in the nearby Seven Stars.
However, the Baldons went through a period of inactivity in recent times with no matches played, before being resurrected thanks to the outstanding efforts of Cosmo Taylor.
When the country went into lockdown in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he found himself unexpectedly swapping his busy student life in Edinburgh for the village tranquility of Marsh Baldon.
With time on his hands, he set about working on the ground, transforming it from an abandoned square into a thriving club inside 12 months with dozens of members and a team in the Village Cup.
It was this community-spirited attitude which led to Taylor becoming the inaugural recipient of the Voneus Village Cup Club Legend award last year.
Now Horspath, winners of the county title in 2021, can look forward to revisiting a ground where they have spent many an enjoyable day in the past.
Eighteen clubs line up in Oxfordshire (Group 19) with two preliminary-round ties.
Oxford Downs, who won the section last year, are away to Kingston Bagpuize in the first round, while Aston Rowant host Horley.
Some 370 teams, including 24 former champions (from a possible 35), entered the draw, which was conducted by Jim Hindson and The Cricketer editor, Huw Turbervill, in the Committee Room at Lord’s.
Defending champions Dumbleton, who defeated 2021 winners Calmore Sports Club (Hampshire) by 86 runs at Lord's in last year's final, are away to either Bretforton or Hagley in the Worcestershire group.


OXFORDSHIRE (GROUP 19)

Preliminary round (April 9): Sandford St Martin v Tiddington, Cropredy v Stanton Harcourt.
1st round (April 23): Sandford St Martin or Tiddington v Great & Little Tew, Cropredy or Stanton Harcourt v Langford, Aston Rowant v Horley, Challow & Childrey v Oxford & Bletchington Nondescripts, Minster Lovell v Cumnor, Kingston Bagpuize v Oxford Downs, Baldons v Horspath, Steeple Aston v Shipton-under-Wychwood.