A MAGNIFICENT century from Billy Webb saw the OCA League representative XI defeat their Cherwell League counterparts by four wickets to retain the inter-league trophy at East & West Hendred on Sunday.

Winning the toss, OCA captain Sam Willett put the Cherwell League into bat and quickly had them one wicket down as Ali Malik removed Tom Gurney for one.

An excellent partnership of 131 for the second wicket between Westbury’s Ollie Tice and Long Marston’s Jeremy Smith put the Cherwell League firmly in control.

Smith’s innings of 97 came from 89 balls, while Tice’s 56 came in 56 deliveries.

A cameo knock of 38 not out in 22 balls from Dave Eaton gave the Cherwell League some late order impetus as they closed on 227-5 from their 40 overs.

In the OCA reply, Jack Mulford (35) and Webb shared 100 for the second wicket.

But after that stand, OCA lost regular wickets. Webb remained resolute, however, bringing up his century in 97 balls.

An unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 31 between Webb and Ian Johnston (Charlbury) secured the OCA victory with eight balls to spare.

Cherwell League skipper Mike Dove said: “It was a fantastic game. A great advert for Cherwell and OCA League cricket and proves there a lot of really good cricketers in Oxfordshire.”