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Horspath's Lord's dreams dashed in Village Cup

04 Jul 2023

HORSPATH'S dreams of going all the way to Lord's in the Voneus Village Cup turned into a nightmare with a 14-run defeat at Cornwall side Grampound Road in the sixth round.
It looked as if the Oxfordshire champions were on course for a quarter-final spot when they reduced the Roadies to 121-9 in the 33rd over after they had elected to bat.
But then the home side's last pair of Martin Roberts (33no) and captain David Neville (25) shared a stand of 47 off 43 balls to take the Devon & Cornwall Group winners to 168 all out off 40 overs.
Their partnership not only boosted Grampound Road's total but was also a massive momentum swing as the hosts went into the tea interval in buoyant mood while Horspath were left deflated.
Even so, the target should have been in the visitors' grasp on a good batting pitch with a short boundary on one side of the windswept ground with its square on an unusual angle to the pavilion.
However, Horspath were always up against it after losing early wickets and were eventually bowled out for 154 off 39.2 overs.
It had all been so different earlier in the day as the visitors, with their band of supporters having made the near 500-mile round trip to provide around half of the 150-strong crowd, taking charge of the last-16 tie.
Grampound Road openers Jack Mingo, with a six over the short mid-wicket boundary, and Alex Lean put on 44 for the first wicket off 11 overs.
But then Max Smith came into the attack and nipped one back with his first ball to bowl Mingo for 21 and the home side were 61-2 when Alex Lean was run out for 23.
Having set off for a second run, the Grampound Road opener failed to make his ground after being sent back as Josh Richardson threw the ball in from third man for Joey Todd to whip off the bails.
Chris Roberts hit two boundaries in three balls through backward square leg and extra cover, before Jehan Mohammed came on and struck with his fourth ball when Matthews edged into Todd's gloves to leave the home side 77-3 at the halfway stage.
Skipper Will Eason's bowling changes were working a treat and leg-spinner Richardson was next to do the trick, trapping Roberts lbw with his second delivery for 19 without addition to the score.
Horspath's Barmy Army were in full cry and they went up an octave in the next over when Tom Orpe was run out going for a suicidal single to make it 79-5. He raced down the pitch after driving a delivery to Smith at mid-on who returned the ball to wicketkeeper Todd to complete the dismissal with both batsmen at the bowler's end.
Mohammed was in the midst of an excellent spell, and he struck again with Todd taking another sharp catch to dismiss Alex May as Horspath tightened their grip at 91-6.
Daniel Foulds slammed a six over square leg before Eason ended his stay with the score on 118 with Smith taking a tumbling low catch at mid-on.
Two runs later, Mohammed claimed his third victim by bowling Nathan Keevil and when Todd bagged his third catch behind the stumps to dismiss Daniel Ferris off Amin Rafiq eight wickets had fallen for 60 runs, and Horspath were in dreamland.
But they had reckoned without wily campaigners Martin Roberts and Neville, who refused to be dislodged before smashing 33 off the last three overs as the wheels came off for the visitors.
Neville exploited the short boundary by pulling three sixes while Roberts slammed consecutive straight fours at the other end as the innings finished with a flourish before the home captain was bowled by Subhan Javid off the last delivery.
Mohammed returned fine figures of 3-22 from his eight overs with a wicket apiece for each of the other five bowlers.
Despite Grampound Road's late revival it still looked a sub-standard score, but Horspath were soon in trouble in reply.
With regular opening bowler Lewis Sanders out with an injury picked up the previous day, Neville opened up with his off-spin - and it proved a masterstroke. Jimmy Phillips hit the home captain for six over long on only to push the next delivery straight into May's hands at cover to make it 10-1.
Just four runs had been added when the Grampound Road skipper struck again with Todd holing out to Harry Matthews on the mid-wicket boundary.
Robbie Eason and Elliot Ruff took the score to 43 before the former was adjudged lbw to Chris Roberts for 17.
Controversy then flared when Stephen Green carted what appeared to be an above waist-height full toss from off-spinner Martin Roberts into Ferris's hands at mid-on only for it not to be deemed a no ball.
With just one run added, Smith was caught behind by Foulds off Roberts and the visitors were in disarray at 57-5.
Much then hinged on Ruff who had batted well for 32 when he was caught by Mingo at long on off Roberts to leave Horspath 77-6.
Keevil had bowled at a sharp pace at the start of the innings but was promptly hit over mid-wicket on his return by Mohammed, who was then caught at long on by Mingo off May for 17 to make it 108-7.
Skipper Will Eason had ridden his luck to make 19, but it ran out when Lean accepted a sharp caught and bowled chance to leave the visitors staring defeat at 110-8 after 34 overs.
Amin Rafiq and Richardson reignited the side's fading hopes alive by taking 17 off the next over with the latter hitting above waist high no balls for six and four.
However, Rafiq was then caught at long on by Mingo off Keevil to make it 140-9 to leave Grampound Road on the brink of victory.
With Horspath's Barmy Army's good-natured banter leaving the home side's boundary fielders feeling as if they were in front of Edgbaston's infamous Eric Hollies Stand, last pair Richardson and Javaid took the game to the final over when 17 were needed to win.
But Horspath's spirited late rally was finally ended when Mingo ran in from the boundary to take his fourth catch low down at long on to dismiss Richardson for 18 off Lean's second delivery and the visitors' Village Cup adventure was over.
Chris Roberts (3-28) was the host's most successful bowler well supported by Lean (2-14), Neville (2-22), Keevil (1-26) and Martin Roberts (1-27).
Horspath were left to rue a massive, missed opportunity, but credit should go to Grampound Road for their crucial last-wicket stand and their excellent bowling and fielding display. They will now entertain Hook & Newnham Basics (Hampshire) in the quarter-finals on July 16.