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Typhoon Turner claims Airey Cup crown for Horspath 3rd

30 Aug 2023

CHARLIE Turner slammed a brilliant 80 off 38 balls to turn the Airey Cup final into a demolition job as Horspath 3rd stormed to a spectacular eight-wicket win over Banbury 3rd at Didcot.
The 18-year-old opener produced a devastating display of clean ball striking and power hitting with six fours and seven sixes to blast Horspath past Banbury's 154-9 with a massive 17 overs to spare.
Crash, bang, wallop - it was thrilling stuff for the Bank Holiday Monday crowd of around 150, including a large Horspath following, as he set about the north Oxfordshire side's bowlers by launching two sixes in the first over.
Turner was hell bent on repeating his breathtaking knock in the Oxfordshire Under 19 Cup final of eight days earlier when he smashed a whirlwind 68 off 27 deliveries to power Horspath to a five-wicket win over Banbury.
And he kept up his onslaught in the second over with a straight six into the car park which sent the Miss Whippy ice cream van heading swiftly for the exit.
There was no let-up for the Banbury bowlers as Turner despatched consecutive sixes into the top tier of the Boundary Park pavilion with those watching from the balcony diving for cover.
With Dan Todd looking on from the other end, Turner took Horspath to 50 in the fifth over with a four.
Completing a destructive half-century off just 18 balls with a four down to fine leg off the first ball off the next over, he added another boundary in the same direction before finding the upper tier of the pavilion with another mighty blow.
Not content with peppering the short side of the ground, Turner then hammered a huge six into the netting on the long mid-wicket boundary by the road, before showing he can mix power with touch by glancing the next delivery down to third man for four.
At 80-0 off seven overs, Horspath were romping towards their target, and Todd joined in the fun with a sweetly-struck four through mid-wicket.
Turner had made 71 when he gave a chance to long off with the ball flying through the fielder's hands for another four, before surviving a big appeal on 79 for caught behind off Chris Phillips much to Banbury's dismay.
He brought up the 100 partnership with a flashing cover drive for one in the 10th over, and Todd maintained Horspath's momentum by clipping another delightful four through mid-wicket.
Turner's sensational innings finally came to an end, though, when he edged Adnan Ahmed into Banbury skipper Neil Megson's gloves to make it 107-1.
His elder brother, Alfie, joined Todd, who had a let-off at mid-wicket before rubbing salt into Banbury's wounds by pulling the next delivery to the square leg boundary.
They moved the score on to 126 before Todd was stumped off young leg-spinner Shivakumar Senthilkumar Sridevi for a well-made 33.
Horspath were fast closing in on victory and Alfie Turner (26no) split the two fielders on the mid-wicket boundary and then fired another four back over the bowler's head before cracking a six into the bottom off the pavilion.
It was left to Tom Betts to see Horspath home at 155-2, following up a lofted drive to the long off boundary two balls later with a square cut for four.
With the prestigious Oxfordshire Cricket Association trophy now played for by Cherwell League Tier 3 and 4 sides, the stunning success saw Horspath lift the cup for the first time in its current format, but the ninth time in total with the last being in 1991 when the club left the OCA to join the Trinity League.
Horspath's batting blitz completed a fine all-round performance after they had restricted Banbury following the north Oxfordshire side's decision to make first use off a good pitch.
When Tom Bartlett and James Bristow put on 55 inside 10 overs for the first wicket it looked as if Horspath could face a formidable total.
Bartlett was in fine touch, but when the left-hander had made 26 he was run out by an excellent piece of fielding by Ryan Hicks as he attempted a single into the offside.
The Horspath skipper raced into pick up the ball before diving to throw down the stumps at the non-striker's end to spark joyous celebrations from his teammates.
It was a crucial breakthrough and with Hicks and Jason Cardy taking the pace of the ball, Banbury subsided to 82-5.
Three wickets went down for one run with Cardy accepting a simple return catch from Bristow, who also made 26, before he struck again with Toby James caught at mid-on by Todd.
Cardy then trapped Craig Lynes lbw, before Mohson Rana, an Airey Cup winner with Oxford Caribbeans in 1997 when he was man of the match as a 17-year-old, ran out William Hutchinson with a direct hit from mid-off.
Horspath were firmly in charge and Hicks tightened their grip with two wickets in as many balls as Ahmed (21) picked out Josh Cummings at deep mid-off before Ben Miller was bowled.
Just one more run had been added when Rayaan Dogar swooped at short fine leg to run out Dan Redpath with Alex Thomas whipping off the bails, leaving Banbury in disarray at 113-8.
Megson (18no) and Phillips defiantly held up a rampant Horspath, before the latter was caught by Alfie Turner at extra cover off Todd, but Banbury's final total looked well short of what was required.
Cardy, with 3-12 off his eight overs, was the pick of the Horspath attack well supported by Hicks (2-25) and Todd (1-27) with Charlie Turner (0-31) and Cummings (0-33) also bowling well without reward.
Turner then took centre stage with his brutal batting display, earning him the Ron Maudsley Man of the Match Trophy, while Hicks received the Airey Cup with the presentations made by league vice-chairman David Warner before the champagne celebrations started.