Horsham bow out of Sussex T20 Cup at quarter-final stage

Nick Oxley hit an unbeaten 51 off 40 balls in Horsham CC's Sussex T20 Cup quarter-final defeat to Cuckfield CC. Picture by Steve Robards

In their home Sussex T20 Cup quarter-final against Cuckfield CC last Sunday Horsham CC chose to bat and got off to a promising start, only to set a moderate target, which the visitors overhauled with five balls to spare, reversing Horsham’s elimination of Cuckfield at the same stage of the competition almost exactly two years ago.

In a run-a-ball opening partnership Tom Johnson and – returning after paternity leave - Craig Gallagher scored promising twenties with three fours and as many sixes between them.

But once they were both dismissed by Ben Candfield, only Nick Oxley made a major contribution, his 51 not out coming from 40 balls, Josh Hayward chipping in with 2-19 before Horsham ended on 133-4.

Horsham needed early wickets, and James Brehaut obliged with a break through, but from 3-1 the score reached 116 until Horsham tasted further success, with former Horsham player Joe Ludlow making 46 before he was run out by Nick Cooper.

At that stage Nipun Karunanayake was on 62, and although Oxley nipped in to take a further wicket, Karunanayake and Ollie Graham got Cuckfield over the line in the final available over of the match, albeit for a relatively comfortable seven-wicket win.

A scorecard from the match can be found here.

Horsham has a good record at Cricketfield Road, and are playing well in the league, so missing out on the prospect of a final at Sussex’s Hove HQ is undoubtedly a disappointment, especially in a close fought game, but the priority remains promotion back into the Premier Division, for which Horsham is currently firmly on course.

The three Sussex T20 Cup quarter-finals remaining to be played are Bognor Regis CC v West Chiltington & Thakeham CC, Three Bridges CC v East Grinstead CC, and St Peters, Brighton CC v Hastings & St Leonards Priory CC