HORSPATH 3rd bid to add to the club's rich history in the Airey Cup when they take on Banbury 3rd in the final at Didcot on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28.
The club have lifted the impressive trophy eight times in their glorious past - a tally matched by Cowley St John and surpassed only by Headington with 11 triumphs.
Inaugurated in 1890, the Oxfordshire Cricket Association's premier cup competition was won for the first time by Horspath in 1973 with the last success in 1991.
Max Eason was the man of the match that day with a brilliant 114 as Horspath triumphed by seven wickets after chasing down Sandford St Martin's 189-7 at Chipping Norton.
The side also included Graham Plested and Gordon Hamilton, who remain involved in the running of the club to this day.
That was Horspath's last season in the OCA before joining the Trinity League, and little could it have been expected in the intervening 30 years that the opportunity to lift the cup once again would present itself.
However, that scenario has unfolded after the OCA clubs joined the Cherwell League two years ago with the trophy now played for by Tier 3 and 4 sides.
Horspath 3rd, who are seventh in Division 3A, have stormed into the 2023 final in scintillating fashion.
After being handed a walkover by Stokenchurch in the first round, the side posted an emphatic 110-run win at Kidlington in the quarter-finals with Alfie Turner hitting a superb 112.
The semi-finals witnessed an even more resounding victory as Horspath hammered Oxenford by 190 runs at the Recreation Ground.
Cracking half-centuries from brothers Charlie (76) and Alfie Turner (56) and Rayaan Dogar (50) saw Horspath rack up 272-9 off 38 overs, before Oxenford were shot out for 82 with skipper Ryan Hicks taking 4-11.
Banbury, who are fifth in Division 3B, are seeking their first Airey Cup triumph, and have had a similar route to the final.
After Horley conceded in round one, they defeated Sandford St Martin by 41 runs in the last eight. Having been held to 144-7, Banbury bowled out Sandford for 103 with Craig Lynes (4-13) and Matthew Jones (3-15) the chief destroyers.
They then blew away Hook Norton by nine wickets in the semi-finals after the holders crashed to 55 all out with the wickets shared around.
Horspath's 1991 triumph was featured in the 'Path Past series during Covid-19. To read Max's memories of that day click
here