Cumnor were crowned 2021 Oxfordshire Under 19 champions with a thrilling three-run win over holders and hosts Horspath on finals day.
Dylan Driscoll hit a superb unbeaten 66 to steer Cumnor to 135-2 after they had been put in to bat in a thrilling T20 decider for the Honey-‘B’ Trophy, named in memory of the late Horspath player Morris Honey.
Driscoll, whose runs came off 51 balls and included eight fours, was well supported by Will Laird (33no) in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 79. Horspath’s bowlers, meanwhile, stuck to their task well to hold Cumnor in check, with Josh Cummings (1-16) and Josh Richardson (1-25) the wicket-takers.
Picture: Rob Judges
Horspath, who had won the much-delayed 2020 competition by one wicket off the last ball against Aston Rowant just two weeks previously, were reduced to 11-3 in reply with opening bowler Abhir Joshi producing a devastating opening burst to claim two wickets after Sam Down had made the breakthrough.
Cumnor Celebrating A Wicket – Photo: Helen Lydford-Davis
Opener Alfie Turner (25) and Saif Dogar (20) led the fightback, but when Luke Heritage was run out going for two at the non-striker’s end by a terrific throw from the cover boundary by Will Price, Horspath had it all to do at 84-7. However, Joe Gibbs and Rayaan Dogar then shared a gritty eighth-wicket stand of 41. When Dogar hit successive deliveries for six over long on by the nets and for four in the 18th over, it looked as if the hosts may again pull victory out the fire as they reached 125-7. But Joshi returned for the penultimate over and bowled Gibbs for 21 with a cracking delivery, before Dogar (18) skied a catch to Alastair Gray at point to make it 126-9.
George Crawford kept Horspath’s hopes alive by edging Joshi’s last ball for four past wicket-keeper Will Laird, and the hosts needed six to win off the final over. Two singles came off Driscoll’s first four balls, but then a run out saw Horspath 132 all out and sparked Cumnor celebrations. Joshi was named man of the match for his outstanding figures of 4-14, while Thomas Lydford-Brace took 2-31.
In the semi-finals earlier in the day, Cumnor swept aside Hook Norton, while Horspath raced to an eight-wicket win against Banbury.
Having bowled Banbury out for 111 after putting them in to bat, Horspath stormed to victory off just 9.3 overs with Alfie Turner smashing 50 off 28 balls with seven fours and two sixes, while his brother, Charlie, cracked 39 from 25 deliveries. They put on 93 for the second wicket as the win was secured in double quick time. Richardson had shone with the ball earlier, taking 3-25, while Saif Dogar picked up 2-14 as Banbury collapsed from 79-2 after handy contributions from Savi Sangha (26) and Joshua Taylor (23).