Horspath Cricket Club News story

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Coleman and Green lead Horspath to victory

26 Aug 2025

Horspath kept their outside chances of promotion from Home Counties Premier Cricket League Division 2 alive by returning to winning ways with an impressive six-wicket triumph at lowly Falkland.

Chasing 238-6 after the Berkshire club elected to bat, Horspath raced to victory at 240-4 with 8.2 overs to spare thanks to an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 109 between Tom Coleman (68no) and Stephen Green (44no).

The dominant success keeps the side in fourth 26 points behind second-placed Wokingham with two games remaining.

Sravan Konidena and Tom Nichols got Horspath's run chase off to a brisk start with 62 for the first wicket.

Nichols was the first to go for 24, caught by Zach Pool off Mark Otley, who then accepted a chance from Konidena (26) with Elliot Seddon the successful bowler, making it 71-2.

Dom O'Connor chipped in with 21, before Coleman and Green came together with the score 131-4 and put together a sparkling partnership to ensure there was no further joy for the hosts.

Coleman reached his second Home Counties half-century of the season with one of 12 fours in his 67-ball knock, while Green hit six boundaries including the winning runs as Horspath stormed home.

Earlier, Horspath spinners Josh Richardson (3-38) and skipper Amin Rafiq, who conceded just 31 from his 10 overs, had played the leading role in Falkland's innings.

Richardson ended an 82-run second-wicket stand between Bobby Brown (47) and Chris Baker (43) courtesy of a Nichols catch to remove the former.

The leg-spinner followed up by trapping Seb Chapman lbw and having Baker caught by O'Connor to make it 131-4.

But Falkland fought back through captain Ben Piper, who made an unbeaten 60 from 66 balls with eight fours, and Brandon Gilmour (47), who added 98 for the fifth wicket.

Asad Rafiq broke their partnership by bowling Gilmour with the penultimate ball of his second spell and repeated the trick with his next delivery to dismiss Seddon and finish with 2-35.

Horspath will bid to keep their promotion hopes bubbling on Saturday when they host sixth-placed Thame Town, who lost to Chesham by 151 runs.