CHERWELL LEAGUE PRESENTATION NIGHT

Horspath captain Adam Krol reflected on an ‘excellent year’ after lifting the Division 1 trophy at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford, on Saturday.

Krol let out a roar of delight after being handed the cup by guest speaker David Steele, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1975 for his heroic batting in the Ashes series against Australia.

It set the seal on a memorable campaign, which also saw Horspath win the Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup for the first time, while the 2nd XI gained promotion to Division 2, the 4th XI were presented with the Division 9 trophy and the club also won the Oxfordshire Under 17 Cup.

Horspath’s success came after last year when they felt the bad weather conspired against them as they finished runners-up to Great & Little Tew.

“It’s feels pretty good to be honest,” said Krol after finally getting his hands on the trophy.

“It has been an excellent year. When you look back I think we were more motivated from the year before. Credit to Great Tew, but it made us more hungry.

“To go unbeaten as well was the icing on the cake. “It is great for the club and we want to be established now in the Home Counties.”

Krol, who is stepping down as captain due to work commitments, with Will Eason set to take on the role, added: “I am pleased that all the players shared it about and everyone played a role.”

Lee Mason led the way on the bowling front with 39 wickets at an average of 11.90, while Robbie Eason hit 597 runs.

Krol said of Mason: “His performance at Shipton, getting 9-20 was as good as I have seen.”

To add to the club’s success, Horspath member Bob Chamberlain received the umpires’ award.

Cumnor won Division 2, while Long Marston were big winners, picking up the Division 3 and Division 10 cups as well as the Peter Baker Memorial Trophy for the club whose 1st and 2nd XIs recorded the most aggregate points.

Disappointingly, East Oxford 2nd failed to send a representative to pick up the Division 7 trophy.

None of the individual winners were present.

Oxford 3rd’s Miles Picknett and Oxford 4th’s Chetan Walia provided local success here by being named the top 3rd/4th/5th XI batter and bowler respectively.

ROLL OF HONOUR

DIVISIONAL AWARDS

Div 1: Horspath. Div 2: Cumnor. Div 3: Long Marston. Div 4: Didcot. Div 5: Great Brickhill 2nd. Div 6: Bledlow Village 2nd. Div 7: East Oxford 2nd. Div 8: Horley 2nd. Div 9: Horspath 4th. Div 10: Long Marston 3rd. Peter Baker Memorial Trophy (1st & 2nd XI aggregate points): Long Marston.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

1st XI batting: S Moss (Long Marston) 854 runs. 1st XI bowling: I Butt (Wolverton Tn) 61 wkts. 2nd XI batting: R Krynauw (Leighton Buzzard 2nd) 711 runs. 2nd XI bowling: D Pritchard (Bucking-ham Town 2nd) 57 wkts. 3rd/4th/5th XI batting: M Picknett (Oxford 3rd) 549 runs. 3rd/4th/5th bowling: C Walia (Oxford 4th) 54 wkts. Umpires’ award: B Chamberlain.