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Richardson's half-century in vain for Horspath 2nd

15 Aug 2023

JOSH Richardson's first half-century of the season couldn't prevent Horspath 2nd from a five-wicket defeat at second-placed Banbury 2nd in Cherwell League Division 1.
Richardson made 53 from 91 balls with four fours as the visitors were restricted to 187-9 after electing to bat.
He shared a stand of 61 for the second wicket with Christopher Hofen (34), before Pete Healey chipped in with 28, but then Horspath suffered a middle-order collapse with five wickets falling for 14 runs.
Alex Thomas hit a brisk unbeaten 21 to take the visitors to their final total with Dave Eaton (3-37) and Will Briggs (2-31) the chief wicket-takers.
Erasmus Du Toit produced a fine spell of 4-31 to leave Banbury 71-4, with his haul including opener Richard Simpson, who blasted 41 off 33 balls.
A run out by Charlie Turner increased Horspath's hopes, but with Banbury's target being revised due to a rain break, Eaton and Briggs cracked unbeaten half-centuries to power the reigning champions home at 195-5 from 34.1 overs.
Eaton smashed 53 not out off 50 balls with six fours and three sixes, while Briggs was undefeated on 50 from 69 deliveries with six fours as the pair shared an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 87.
The defeat sees the side slip a place in the table to fourth ahead of Saturday's home game against bottom club Buckingham Town 2nd.
Horspath 3rd slipped to a four-run defeat under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method at home to Didcot 2nd in a rain-affected Division 3A encounter.
The home side posted 206 all out after being put in to bat off 47.3 overs.
Mark Skelton cracked 47, while Rayaan Dogar weighed in with 28 as the hosts lost wickets at regular intervals to Ben Wright (3-21), former Horspath player Chris Batten (2-34), Baljit Singh Dhaliwal (23-36) and Callum Henderson (2-41).
Didcot's target was adjusted following a rain interruption and they finally secured victory at 198-5 from 42.4 overs.
Batten led the way for the visitors with 80 off 95 balls, which included 11 fours. He was well supported in a stand of 83 for the fourth wicket by Adam McBrien (33).
Horspath's bowlers strived in vain with Anoop Reddy (1-27) the pick of the home attack.
Leaders Horspath 4th kept their Division 6A title hopes bubbling with a nail-biting two-wicket win at Garsington 2nd.
The experienced trio of Adrian Manger (3-15), Robin Pykett (3-23) and Stuart Berry (3-25) combined to bowl out Garsington for 113 after the hosts chose to bat.
The home side were indebted to Kamlajit Singh, who smashed an unbeaten 69 off 95 balls with three fours and fours sixes, as only one other batsman reached double figures.
Skipper Craig Wharton (36) and Tom Smith (28) got Horspath's run chase off to a fine start with an opening stand of 59.
Azlan Sharif chipped in with 19 and Horspath were set fair at 88-1 only to lose seven wickets for 17 runs in collapsing to 105-8 with Amandeep Singh (5-20) doing the damage.
The game was in the balance, but the cool heads of Berry and Manger ground out the final runs to see Horspath home at 114-8.
The win gives Horspath a 10-point advantage at the top over Watlington, who beat Fringford by five wickets.
The side now have a big weekend as they entertain third-placed Fringford on Saturday before taking on holders Bledlow Ridge 2nd in the Steve Dixon Memorial Cup final at Fringford on Sunday.