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Jalill fires Horspath into T20 semi-finals

19 Jul 2023

OPENER Minhaj Jalill smashed a half-century as Horspath secured a five-wicket win at Aston Rowant to seal top spot in Hartwell Senior Cup Pool 1 and a home tie in the semi-finals.
Chasing Rowant's 138-7 after the hosts elected to bat, Jalill whacked two fours and four sixes in his 54 from 42 deliveries to set the visitors on the way to victory at 143-5 with three balls to spare.
It means Horspath completed their Oxon T20 group games with a perfect record of five out of five following earlier wins over Challow & Childrey, Cumnor and Oxford plus a concession from Tiddington after the original fixture was rained off.
Now Horspath will be at home in the last four to the Pool 2 runners-up - either Brackley, holders Banbury or Oxford Downs with the standings to be finalised - on Tuesday, August 1 with the winners progressing to the final at Wormsley on Sunday, September 17.
Rowant's total was built around a hard-hit 74 off 58 deliveries from opener Carrick Dunbar. He hammered six fours and three sixes before being caught inside the long deep mid-wicket boundary by Joval Calix off Alfie Turner with the score on 114 at the start of the 18th over.
On another overcast evening, it was the spinners Hussaan Ahmad (2-23) and Jalill (1-20), who helped rein back the Rowant batsmen.
Jalill paced Horspath's run chase well with some lusty blows while at the same time riding his luck.
The Sri Lankan completed his second T20 fifty this season with a huge six over long on towards the road before driving the next delivery from Arlo Hyman low and flat in the air to long off where Chris North took a good catch at the second attempt.
That left Horspath 86-3 in the 13th over and Stephen Green then stepped up to see the side home with an unbeaten 33 off 21 balls.
Five were needed to win off the last over and after three runs were secured off the first two balls, Green secured victory in style by blasting the next delivery over the scorers' hut for six.
The side's success means the club will now be in three semi-finals in 10 days - all at the Recreation Ground.
The 4th XI start the ball rolling with their Steve Dixon Memorial Cup tie against Risinghurst 2nd on Sunday, before the 3rd XI's Airey Cup encounter with Oxenford on Sunday, July 30 and then the Harwell Senior Cup clash two days later.