RUNAWAY Division 2 leaders Great & Little Tew saw their advantage trimmed to 25 points after an agonising four-run defeat at home to Amersham in the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League.

In a thrilling finish, the hosts needed six to win from the final four balls with two wickets left.

Then Matt Woods was run out, and after Tew’s bowling hero Joe Thomas had scored a single, last-man Lawrence Brock was bowled first ball.

After inserting the visitors, Tew struck in the first over, before Bruce Friedrichs and Andy Viney added 50.

The rest of the innings was dominated by two players.

Amersham’s Miduka Liyanapathiranage scored 62, while the remaining wickets went to Thomas, who returned 6-56, as the visitors reached 185 in 57.2 overs.

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Tew slipped to 45-4, before Jordan Garrett (59) and Ashley Hubbert (53) added 75.

At 120-4, Tew seemed likely winners, but wickets fell steadily to off-spinner Liyanapathiranage (5-65) to set up that exciting climax.

Aston Rowant’s struggles continued when they lost by 48 runs to Finchampstead.

At inviting the visitors to bat, Rowant took two early wickets.

But a half-century from Matt Jones (56) helped them to 192-9. Gordon Harris was the best Rowant bowler with 4-53.

In reply, Rowant lost wickets steadily with no batsman building a major innings.

Chris Watling was top scorer with 34.

After he was fifth out at 109, the innings went into sharp decline and they were all out for 144 in the 48th over.

Shipton-under-Wychwood’s game at Cove was abandoned due to a waterlogged ground.