Title challengers both win as Higgs maintains Thame lead

Thame won the toss and opted to bat first, but were bowled out inside 44 overs for 167 as Max Mannering claimed 4-20 and Chris Thompson 4-49.

But Cumnor were never in the hunt as they crashed to 98 all out in their reply as Mike Higgs took 5-17 and Hassan Mushtaq 3-22.

• Cumnor 5pts, Thame Tn 25

Great Brickhill thrashed basement boys Oxford 2nd by ten wickets, condemning their visitors to a pointless afternoon.

Arjun Jhala took 4-27 and Ahad Khan 3-13 to skittle winless Oxford out for a paltry 89 in the 46th over.

And Brickhill then wasted little time reaching the target, Mark Nelson slamming 69 not out to see his side to victory in just 15.1 overs.

• Great Brickhill 25, Oxford 2nd 0

An unbeaten century from Australian Tom Rowley helped Tiddington to a seven-wicket victory at Banbury 2nd.

Tom Rowley hit 116 not out for Tiddington

Matthew Johnston (5-43) and Matt Maule (4-63) combined to restrict Banbury to 180-9 in their 53 overs, veteran Andrew Sabin top-scoring with 53.

But Rowley’s 116 not out at better than a run a ball, led Tiddington to a comfortable victory with more than seven overs to spare, his innings containing 21 fours.

• Banbury 2nd 6, Tiddington 25

Bilal Afzal was the star of the show for Twyford as they beat hosts Leighton Buzzard by six wickets.

Afzal took 4-41 and Tom Jackson 4-53 in Buzzard’s below-par 146 all out.

Twyford wasted little time reaching the target, Afzal hitting 76 to steer his side to 147-4 in the 29th over.

• Leighton Buzzard Tn 6, Twyford 25

Long Marston thrashed hosts Wolverton by 110 runs.

Simon Butler (59) helped Marston set 184-7, before Peter Toovey (4-18) and James Beesley (3-20) combined to skittle Wolverton for just 74.

• Wolverton 3, Long Marston 25

DIVISION 2

LLOYD Brock’s unbeaten century helped Great & Little Tew 2nd claim a thrilling four-wicket win at fellow promotion hopefuls Aston Rowant 2nd in the last over.

Tim Morgan (89) and Chris Eaton (55) saw Rowant to 256-6 in their 53 overs.

But Brock’s belligerent 103 not out off only 60 balls, plus 80 from opener Matt Clark helped Tew to 257-6 – the winning runs coming off the penultimate ball of the match.

• Aston Rowant 2nd 11, Great Tew 2nd 25

Horspath 2nd stayed on track for the title with a 44-run victory against visitors Bledlow Village.

The hosts declared on 262-3 as Adam Krol (68no), Stephen Green (60), Jack Biggs (58no) and Dom O’Connor (55) made hay for the leaders.

Jehan Mohammed then claimed 5-50 as Bledlow were all out for 218, despite 92 from Will Woodward.

• Horspath 2nd 25pts, Bledlow Village 5

Didcot defeated visitors Sandford St Martin by 107 runs to help their chances of avoiding relegation.

Karl Johnston (59) and Ian Demain (56) led Didcot to 248-6, before David Slade took 4-40 as Sandford were bowled out for 141.

• Didcot 25, Sandford St Martin 4

Sam Chilvers hit 100 not out as Abingdon Vale pulled away from the drop zone with a 54-run victory at home to Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Chilvers’ ton, batting at eight, help Vale recover from 90-7 to set 192-2 as he shared an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 102 with skipper Jonathan Jenkinson.

Left-arm spinner Paul White then returned 5-40 and Jenkinson 3-37 as Nondies were bowled out for 138.

• Abingdon Vale 25, Ox & Bletch Nondies 5

A five-wicket haul for Conor Jones proved the difference as Challow & Childrey saw off Oxford Downs by 54 runs.

Challow had been bowled out for 176 as spinners Wasim Mehmood (4-45) and Jonny Meardon (3-34) starred for the hosts, Ryan Gordon hitting 50.

But Jones then took 5-46, Downs being dismissed for 122 in the 34th over.

• Oxford Downs 6, Challow & Childrey 25

DIVISION 3

CROPREDY are the champions after a 150-run victory over Dinton 2nd Ed Somerton hit an unbeaten 103 as Cropredy declared three overs early on 277-6.

Jacob Heath then returned 7-54 as they needed just 30 overs to dismiss their rivals for 127 and make it 13 wins from 15 matches this season and take an unassailable 103-point lead over second-placed Buckingham 2nd.

• Cropredy 25pts, Dinton 2nd 3

Bicester & North Oxford shocked promotion-chasing Buckingham Town 2nd to win by three wickets and keep alive their chances of avoiding relegation.

Richard Simpson took 4-32 and Krishan Dave 3-11 as Bicester dismissed their visitors for only 125.

Bicester edged home at 128-7 to seal a crucial victory.

• Bicester & NO 25, Buckingham 2nd 8

Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd saw off visitors Banbury 3rd by three wickets.

Adnan Ahmed (61) helped Banbury to 191 all out, Paul Hemming taking 5-47.

Half centuries from Jason Hunt and Steve Bates led Shipton to 193-7 with more than nine overs to spare.

• Shipton 2nd 25, Banbury 3rd 11

Oxford Downs 2nd boosted their survival hopes with a 119-run victory at Cublington.

Wes Bartlett (91) and Darryl Woods (61) helped Downs set 201-8.

The hosts were shot out for just 82 in reply as Cameron Spilsbury took 3-22 and Steve Roberts 3-36.

• Cubl’ton 3, Oxford Downs 2nd 25

Horley thumped Blewbury & Wallingford by 151 runs.

Horley racked up 276-7 declared as Dave Clark top-scored with 76.

Pete Papenfus then claimed 5-39 and David De Bruyn 4-43 as visitors Blewbury were shot out for 125.

• Horley 25, Blewbury & Wall 4

MATCH OF THE DAY

ADAM Mayho scored a magnificent century for Witney Mills, but his side could not quite force victory in their Division 4 clash with visitors Kingston Bagpuize.

Mills declared three overs early on 277-6, but found struggling Kingston in resolute form as they clung on at 168-8 to deny Mills maximum points.

The visitors opted to put Mills in after winning the toss, but, after removing Steve Holford early for three, could only watch on as Mayho and skipper Mike Dove shared a 145-run partnership for the second wicket.

Adam Mayho in full flow as he moves towards his century for Witney Mills

Mayho’s century contained 12 fours and three sixes as he and Dove put Kingston’s bowling attack to the sword.

They both fell in quick succession, but that only brought veteran Malcolm Evans to the crease, and the Oxfordshire Over 60 player slammed 71 in 60 balls with six fours and four sixes.

Evans’s knock allowed Mills to declare on 277-6, and they then got off to a fine start when Kingston opener Paul Temple was bowled by Ben Madden for four.

But, led by Toby Ricks (90), Kingston stubbornly resisted everything Mills could throw at them.

Witney captain Mike Dove cannot keep his shot down...

...and pays the penalty, below, as Arthur Verdin takes the catch

Only Ricks really got going, however, his knock containing 15 fours and two sixes, with Tom Scrase and James Kemp the only others managing to reach double figures.

Steve Kelly was the pick of the Mills bowlers with 3-18 from 15 tight overs, while Sam Haselgrove finished with 3-70 from 16.

However, youngster Jonathan Warner batted out for 45 balls at the end to deny Mills victory as Kingston closed on 168-8.

REST OF DIVISION 4

TIDDINGTON 2nd slipped to a surprise two-wicket defeat at home to Leighton Buzzard 2nd to dent their promotion hopes.

The hosts were bowled out for 169, with no Tiddington batsman able to produce a dominant innings.

Steve James top-scored with with 32, but neither he nor Neil Smith (28) nor John Mackie (27) were able to go and and post a big score after getting starts.

Patrick Knightley took 4-44 in Buzzard’s reply, but they edged to victory at 171-8.

The results leaves Tiddington 22 points off top spot.

• Tiddington 2nd 11pts, Leighton Buzzard 2nd 25

Great Brickhill 2nd took advantage of Tiddington’s surprise defeat to increase their advantage at the top with a seven-wicket win at Bletchley Town.

After bowling their hosts out for 181, Brickhill reached 184-3 in the 34th over as Patrick Prasad top-scored with 61.

• Bletchley Tn 6, Great Brickhill 2nd 25

Chearsley were shot out for a woeful 36 as they crashed to a ten-wicket defeat at Kimble.

Phil Semmens (5-12) and Sam Agace (3-10) were the chief destroyers for Kimble, who then knocked off the 37 runs required in just 25 deliveries.

• Kimble 25, Chearsley 0

Brackley declared after 51 overs on 220-3, but could not force victory against visitors Stokenchurch.

Eric Carpenter top-scored with 94 for Brackley, before Stokenchurch’s Ashley Hunt hit 113 to lead his side to safety on 186-8.

• Brackley 19, Stokenchurch 4

DIVISION 5

LEADERS East Oxford saw off hosts Long Marston 2nd by four wickets.

Atif Ali claimed 6-57 as East Oxford restricted their hosts to 192-9 in their 53 overs.

Rushikesh Kulkarni (69no) and Sarfraz Hussain (46) then led the way for East Oxford as they reached 193-6 in the 39th over to wrap up victory.

• Long Marston 2nd 10pts, East Oxford 25

Oxford 3rd kept up the pressure after posting a crushing 142-run victory at Bledlow Ridge.

Amit Alva (52), Miles Picknett (44) and Calleam Biel (39) helped Oxford to 223-7 in their 53 overs, before Gareth Langley claimed 4-8 and Kashif Hafeez 3-6 to shoot the hosts out for 81.

Bledlow Ridge 3, Oxford 3rd 25 An unbeaten century from Matthew Luxford helped Aston Rowant 3rd to an eight-wicket win at Horspath 3rd.

Horspath posted 205-6, Robbie Cooke top-scoring with 40.

But Luxford (100no) and Leigh Lewis (80) shone in Rowant’s reply as they reached 207-2 to secure victory.

• Horspath 3rd 6, Aston Rowant 3rd 25

Town 2nd saw off visitors Abingdon Vale 2nd by five wickets.

Paul Butcher hit 88 not out to help Vale to 177-8 in their 53 overs, Ian McStay taking 3-26.

Thame’s Adam Phippen was the star in his side’s reply as he hit 72 to steer them to 179-5 with one over left, despite Luke Mitchell’s 3-41.

• Thame Tn 2nd 25, Abingdon Vale 2nd 8

Cumnor 2nd wasted no time in crushing hosts Twyford 2nd by seven wickets.

Mark Kirsten took 5-42 to help to bowl Twyford out for 176 in the 49th over.

James Lee then hit a quickfire 91 not out and Tom Parsons 57 as Cumnor raced to 179-3 in just 23 overs.

• Twyford 2nd 6, Cumnor 2nd 25

DIVISIONS 6-9

FOURTEEN-year-olds Toby Parker and Michael Rae shared a brilliant opening stand of 160 to help Great & Little Tew 4th wrap up the Division 9 title in style with a crushing 140-run victory over visitors Challow & Childrey 3rd.

Parker hit 109 and Rae 53 as Tew racked up 247-8 in their 45 overs.

Jack Owen then claimed 5-34 as Challow slumped to 107 all out to secure Tew the title.

Banbury 4th secured the Division 6 crown with a 108-run win at home to Great & Little Tew 3rd.

Michael Thomas hit 84 and Dan Bartlett 30 as Banbury set 228-7.

Alex Mobbs then returned figures of 4-36 to help dismiss Tew for only 120.

In Division 7, George Townsend’s century was in vain for Shipton-under-Wychwood 3rd as they lost by 28 runs at home to Abingdon Vale 3rd, who were inspired by a match-winning father-and-son performance.

Vale set the hosts 213-8 as Andrew Howe (48), Graham Charlesworth (48) and his son, Luke Charlesworth (43), shone with the bat.

Townsend hit 100 in Shipton’s reply, but they subsided to 185 all out as Luke Charlesworth took 4-63 and Graham Charlesworth 3-25 to give Abingdon victory.