HORSPATH celebrated an unprecedented quadruple by being crowned Oxfordshire T20 champions with a glorious five-wicket victory over Oxford Downs in the Hartwell Cup final, writes Russell Smith.

A thrilling opening stand of 73 off seven overs between Dan Todd and Tyron Eyles set Horspath on the way to victory at 115-5 in a decider reduced to 18 overs-a-side due to potential light issues.

It completed a fabulous four-timer for Horspath after winning the Cherwell League Division 1 title, the Pullinger Cup and the Oxfordshire final of the Voneus Village Cup.    

It was also the fourth time Horspath had won the county’s T20 showpiece, having triumphed in the competition formerly known as the Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup in 2013, 2014 and 2018.

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The side’s success was built on an efficient bowling and fielding display as Downs were held to 114-5 after electing to bat. 

Asad Rafiq shattered Tom Ettridge’s stumps with his second ball, while Freddie Smith and Luke Maslen got Downs’ innings up and running with a flurry of boundaries including a six apiece, before left-arm spinner Ryan Hicks put the brakes on with an excellent four-over spell of 1-14.

He bowled Smith for a breezy 25 to make 43-2, and when leg-spinner Josh Richardson had Maslen caught by Jehan Mohammed at deep backward square leg for 31, Downs were 77-3 after 13 overs.

Richardson struck again when Joe Botha was lbw attempting to sweep, and Downs went five overs without a boundary before Tom Powell hit a straight drive only to be bowled by left-arm spinner Sam Leslie’s next delivery for 26.

It was only 19 runs off the final over with Harry Wren clobbering a four and a six over long on off the last ball which took Downs to their final total. Hicks was well-supported by Richardson (2-22), Leslie (1-10) and Asad Rafiq (1-15).

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Horspath, runners-up for the last two years, launched their run chase, and Todd set the tone by clouting a four off the second delivery, and then pulled the next for six into the neighbouring field, before Eyles swept to the boundary as 17 came off the first over.

Todd kept up the flying start with two more fours in the next over and Horspath were rollicking along with the pair bringing up the 50 off just 4.5 overs.

Eyles gave Horspath’s supporters more reason to cheer with a six over mid-wicket into the hands of his own captain, Amin Rafiq, before both openers fell in the space of three balls.

Todd had creamed 38 from 23 balls when a mix-up saw him run out by Downs skipper Matt Warner at the bowler’s end as he went for a quick single, before Eyles, having made 35 off 21 deliveries, was lbw to Wasim Mehmood attempting a reverse sweep.

With the light fading and rain falling, Dougal Main (17) kept Horspath on track as they lost three more wickets, before Stephen Green (13no) saw them home with 11 balls to spare.  

Mehmood (1-24) and Warner (1-25) led the way with the ball for Downs, while Ollie Armstrong conceded just 10 runs from his three overs, but it was Horspath’s day.