Banbury moved in to the next round of the National Knockout with a fine display against Moseley to win by 26 runs.
Losing the toss, Banbury found themselves batting on a day threatened by intermittent heavy showers. Skipper Richard Kaufman decided on the pinch-hitting option of Simon Launder to give the away team a kick start and it provided just that, with Launder smashing 10 runs off the first two overs and with support from Paul Taylor Banbury, after 11 overs found themselves on 70 for 2, with Taylor the only recognised batsman to be dismissed.
Each of Banbury’s batsman made a contribution but 3 wickets fell for the additon of only 16 runs which caused a slight hiccup in the innings. It was a fine 6th wicket partnership between Marc Rorich (48 not out) and Danny Harding (41) which generated a respectable total of 197 for the home side to chase.
Moseley began their innings with Westwood playing positively and Din (brother of former Warwickshire player Asif) playing the role of pinch-hitter. After the score had moved to 27 it was simon Launder who made the vital breakthrough for Banbury, uprooting Din’s off stump.
Ollie Murray struggled uphill and into a very strong breeze and Kaufman decided to bring Paul Taylor into the attack after only four overs had been bowled. It proved to be a very shrewd move and in his first over trapped Massood LBW for one.
Launder then dismissed Stokes in a first spell of 7 overs for 16 runs and with two vital wickets to his name.
Moseley regrouped and a partnership between Westwood and Wasim Khan (ex-Warwickshire and Sussex) stemmed the fall of wickets. They produced a partnership of 49 runs before Westwood was dismissed by Jimmy Phillips, caught at slip by the athletic Craig Haupt divind forward for 37.
Khan was next to go when he was trapped LBW by Phillips attempting to sweep. Phillips and young Luke Ryan bowled well in tandom and the youngster, Ryan that is, bowled a very controlled 9 overs creating pressure and deservedly picked up the wickets of K Shah and Michael Bell (former Warwickshire and Surrey) whilst only conceding 20 runs. This spell wa the beginning of the end and only Robinson (37) managed to stick around for any length of time.
Launder wrapped things up when he bowled Y Shah in the 43rd over to finish off a fine perforamnce by a very professional Banbury outfit. It topped a fine weekend for the first team.