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Horspath storm into Hartwell T20 Final

06 Aug 2025

Reigning champions Horspath produced a fantastic display to record an emphatic 74-run victory over Banbury in the Hartwell Trophy semi-final at White Post Road.
The holders posted a challenging 174-6, before skittling the Home Counties Premier Cricket League T20 champions for 100.
Now Horspath can look forward to a fourth straight final in Oxfordshire's premier T20 competition when they face Aston Rowant - eight-wicket winners over Shipton-under-Wychwood in the other semi-final - at Challow & Childrey on Saturday, September 20.
Viv Narayan got Horspath off to a flying start after they chose to bat with a flurry of boundaries as the visitors raced to 41-1 off four overs.
Derval Green, fresh from his spectacular unbeaten 141 against Wokingham on Saturday, joined him to maintain the momentum.
Narayan brought up his half-century in style with a six over mid-wicket only to be caught by Freddie Crook off Ben Maddison's next delivery for 52 from 32 balls. The Horspath opener also hit eight fours in taking the side to 81-2 in the ninth over.
Derval had moved seamlessly on to 38 from 29 deliveries when he fell to Maddison (2-29), stumped by Lloyd Sabin, leaving Horspath 112-4 in the 13th over.
Stephen Green (16) and Josh Richardson (21) both chipped in, before skipper Amin Rafiq (15no) and his brother, Asad (12no), took Horspath to their final total. Charlie Hill picked up 2-32 for Banbury.
Horspath then struck a crucial blow at the start of the Banbury innings when captain Kieran Coyne swatted Derval's second ball into Joval Calix's hands at mid-on.
Green (2-6) then fired a delivery of good length into Richard Simpson's stumps, before Asad did likewise with the first ball of the next over to remove the dangerous Lloyd Sabin.
And when Sravan Konidena trapped Charlie Hill lbw early in the fifth over, Banbury were in disarray at 19-4.
There was no coming back from that for the Home Counties Division 1 side as Horspath's spinners worked their way through the rest of the order.
Mike Jones made a defiant 31 before being bowled by Sam Leslie (2-15), while Calix's 3-16 including a brilliant catch by Konidena, who made good ground at cover to take Freddie Crook's lofted drive inches above the ground.
Last man Maddison cracked two sixes in an unbeaten 23, before Calix wrapped up the innings to leave Horspath dominant victors.