CONTROVERSY raged as Horspath beat arch rivals Oxford by one wicket in a thrilling Division 1 basement battle at Roman Way.

Chasing Oxford’s 198-8 after the hosts had elected to bat, Horspath arrived at the last over needing 11 to win with two wickets left.

But the umpires ruled that Oxford had failed to bowl their 50 overs in the allotted time of three hours and 20 minutes, which triggered six penalty runs to come into effect at the end of the innings.

From the first ball, Horspath skipper Will Eason was caught at mid-wicket by Ryan Carters off Freddie Simon.

Last man Lloyd Belcher then guided a single to third man, before Pat Foster hit a four through square leg, leaving Horspath thinking – with the penalty runs – they had won.

However, the match then descended into farce, with the umpires ruling that the final three balls had to be bowled, which Foster negotiated successfully.

For Horspath it was the sweetest of successes coming in the first top-flight meeting between the two clubs since their demerger 11 years ago.

But for bottom club Oxford it was their fifth straight defeat.

The hosts had been buoyed going into the match by the signing of New South Wales opening batsman Carters, and he made a solid 38 on his debut.

Stewart Laudat then stroked 60 from 78 deliveries, including seven fours, and Sean Thornton, batting with a runner for part of his innings, hit 52 off 80 balls, also with seven boundaries.

Left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher, with 2-26, was the pick of the Horspath attack, while Shahbaz Ali picked up three wickets in four balls at the death.

Robbie Eason made a gritty 43 at the top of the order for Horspath, and there was a fluent 35 from Adam Mould.

Spinners Shami Mendis and Harvey Eltham pegged the visitors back, before the match came to its dramatic and bizarre conclusion.