CRICKET: Jimmy Phillips stars with five-wicket haul for Banbury 2nd against Aston Rowant 2nd

Rowant opted to bat first on winning the toss, but James Phillips (5-33) shone to restrict the visitors to 163-9 in 51 overs.

Clarke (40), Justin Lambden (37) and Will Briggs (31no) then led Banbury to an easy win at 164-3 in the 35th over.

Banbury 2nd 25pts, Aston Rowant 2nd 6

Horspath 2nd edged past hosts Great Brickhill by two wickets in a thrilling clash.

Andy Cummings claimed 4-41 and Jehan Mohammed 3-44 as Brickhill racked up 237 all out in 42.3 overs, Mark Nelson hitting 75 and Graeme Carter 56.

Jamie Stead (77) led Horspath’s response as they reached the target eight wickets down, Asad Rafiq chipping in with 41.

Great Brickhill 13, Horspath 2nd 25

Cumnor were denied maximum points by a heavy downpour as they had to settle for a draw at home to Twyford.

Batting first, Cumnor had racked up 235-5 declared in just 34 overs as Devane Warner hit 73 and Callum Russell 58.

Twyford were in deep trouble at 118-8 in their reply, thanks to Sam Powell’s 3-7, but rain had the final say as there were not enough overs remaining for Cumnor to close out victory.

Cumnor 19, Twyford 3

Young spinner Ben Smith took 5-33 for Tiddington, but it was all in vain as they fell to a two-wicket defeat at Leighton Buzzard Town.

Chris Goodman (37) and William Johnson-Coleman (34) helped Tiddington set 152-8, Lee Selfe taking 5-48.

Smith’s haul kept the game close, but the difference proved to be Phil Whatmore, whose 64 led his side to 153-8.

Leighton Buzzard Tn 25, Tiddington 10

Dinton eased to a six-wicket win at home to Long Marston.

Jeremy Smith’s 85 led Marston to 207-6 in their 53 overs, but 61 not out from Ashley Smith saw DInton home at 208-4.

Long Marston 8, Dinton 25

DIVISION 2

MUNGO Matthews was the star of the show as Challow & Childrey thumped local rivals Abingdon Vale by eight wickets.

Matthews claimed 6-19 and Ollie Dimbylow 3-36 as Vale were shot out for a paltry 104 in 37.5 overs.

Justin Penrose then scored an unbeaten half century (51no) as Challow wasted little time reaching 105-2.

l Abingdon 3pts, Challow & Childrey 25

Oxford 2nd’s hopes of a swift return to Division 1 got off to a bad start as they fell to a three-wicket defeat at home to Oxford Downs.

Downs put their hosts in after winning the toss, Will Watts’s 3-22 restricting the home side to 180-7, despite Mursaleen Sadiqi’s 72.

Downs lost regular wickets in their chase, but Watts (46) and Tom Costley (42no) saw them to victory in the 29th over.

l Oxford 2nd 10, Oxford Downs 25

Great & Little Tew 2nd got off to a winning start after posting a three-wicket home win against Wolverton Town.

Matthew Warner (3-16) and Robbie Shurmer (3-50) combined to dismiss Wolverton for only 110.

Tew didn’t have it all their own way, and were thankful to Matthew Clark (46) as they reached 111-7.

l Great Tew 2nd 25, Wolverton Tn 8

Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts denied visitors Buckingham 2nd a victory with a stubborn rearguard display.

Buckingham amasssed a formidable 283-6 declared, Anas Ahmed taking 3-54.

Nondies never got close, but easily held on for a draw at 166-6.

l Nondies 5, Buckingham 2nd 17

Cropredy’s first match back in Division 2 ended in a draw as they failed to prise out the final three Sandford St Martin wickets.

After being put in by the visitors, Cropredy racked up 233 all out as Russell Beckett made 79, while spinner Simon Smith took 6-51.

Sandford’s Jim Howe hit 89, but losing regular wickets, they closed on 204-7, Eli Heath taking 4-19.

l Cropredy 17, Sandford St Martin 10

DIVISION 3

DIDCOT got their season under way with an exciting eight-run victory at Horley.

The visitors opted to bat first, Ian Demain’s 89, which contained 13 fours, helping them set a useful 186-8.

Horley were always in the hunt, helped by Pete Papenfus (43no), Jamie Abbotts (37) and Stephen King (30).

But Jordan Morrison’s 4-43 broke Horley’s resolve as they fell short on 178 all out.

l Horley 6pts, Didcot 25

Banbury 3rd were shot out for only 103, but nearly pulled off an unlikely victory at home to Cublington.

Only Andrew Pallett (32) got going as Banbury were bowled out inside 29 overs.

But, helped by Ross Freeman’s fine 6-55, Banbury grabbed eight Cublington wickets as they threw caution to the win, reaching the target inside 20 overs at 104-8.

l Banbury 3rd 9, Cublington 25

Oxford Downs 2nd got off to a disappointing start, losing by six wickets at home to Great Brickhill 2nd.

Paddy Daniel top-scored with 37 in Downs’s 140 all out, but Brickhill eased to 143-3 in the 34th over.

l Brickhill 2nd 25, Ox Downs 2nd 6

Tiddington 2nd were no match for visitors Bledlow Village as they slumped to a 57-run defeat.

Bledlow posted 220 all out, despite 4-44 from Neil Smith.

Jeff Higgs (52) led the Tiddington reply, but they fell to 167 all out as Mark King claimed 4-23.

l Tiddington 2nd 8, Bledlow Vill 25

Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd and Blewbury & Wallingford had to settle for a draw in their opener.

Jon Hartley top-scored with 43 not out in Shipton’s 188-8. Scott Harris taking 3-30.

Harris then hit 43 in Blewbury’s reply, but they finished on 162-7 in a rain-affected second innings which saw ten overs lost.

l Shipton 2nd 15, Blew & Wall 7

DIVISION 4

WESTBURY began their life in the Cherwell League with the most emphatic of victories in their opener.

Not for the first time in recent years, the champions of the OCA proved that the gap between the leagues is perhaps not what it once was, and the south Northamptonshire side produced a masterful performance to thump hosts Mills by 199 runs.

Westbury won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first, and brothers Will and Tom Gurney shared 91 for the first wicket.

When Will Gurney fell for a well-constructed 28, brother Tom continued to master the Mills’ attack, hammering 18 fours and five sixes in a magnificent innings of 134.

Ben Rae chipped in with 57 and Olly Tice 32 as Westbury racked up 298-4 declared in just 47 overs.

The total proved well beyond Mills, as they crashed to 99 all out in reply, with their cause only helped by an astonishing 48 extras.

Charlie Harper was the pick of the Westbury attack with figures of 3-40, while there were also two wickets apiece for Charlie Purton, Andrew Clark and Graham Judd.

For Mills, it will be back to the drawing board, with only one of their XI making it to double figures.

BICESTER & North Oxford walloped visitors Dinton 2nd by ten wickets to get off to a perfect start.

Leg spinner Richard Simpson claimed 5-15 as the visitors were shot out for 71 inside 31 overs.

Bicester wasted no time in reaching the paltry target, cruising to 72-0 in 11.4 overs as Nick Moorman hit 47 not out.

l Bicester & NO 25pts, Dinton 2nd 0

East Oxford piled on the misery for Oxford, whose first and second teams also lost, as they crushed their 3rd XI by seven wickets.

Chetan Walia was the star with the ball for East Oxford, taking 4-14 in Oxford’s 94 all out.

The hosts then had little problem in reaching 95-3 inside 18 overs.

l East Oxford 25, Oxford 3rd 3

Bletchley Town thrashed Kimble by ten wickets.

The hosts were bowled out for 122, before Matt Shepherd hit 74 not out to steer Bletchley to 123-0 in just 16 overs.

l Kimble 1, Bletchley Tn 25

Brackley kicked off their campaign with a 73-run victory at home to Stokenchurch.

Eric Carpenter hit 67 in the home side’s 163-9, Ryan Gurton taking 5-70.

Stokenchurch crashed to 90 all out in reply, despite 46 from Arshad Latif, Keith Cartwright claiming 5-29.

l Brackley 25, Stokenchurch 4

DIVISION 5

KINGSTON Bagpuize are bidding to bounce straight back after last season’s relegation, and they got off to a great start with a seven-wicket win at home to Banbury 4th.

Jamie Cox (3-33) and Arthur Verdin (3-40) combined to dismiss Banbury for 169, Mark Pallett (64no) top-scoring.

In reply, James Boon hit 75 not out to take Kingston to 170-3 with plenty of time to spare.

l K Bagpuize 25pts, Banbury 4th 6

Thame Town 2nd saw off hosts Bledlow Ridge by seven wickets.

Dan Patey (3-41) and C Penny (3-43) shone with the ball for Thame as they bowled Ridge out for 117 in the 48th over.

In reply, A Jinman (43) and Chris Jeffcock (35) eased Thame to the target at 121-3.

l Bledlow R 4, Thame 2nd 25

Horspath 3rd hammered Abingdon Vale 2nd by 132 runs.

Adrian Manger (53), Ceri Holmes (47no) and Manan Parmar (41) shone with the bat in Horspath’s 229-6 declared, Danny Hartley taking 3-68 for the visitors.

Holmes then claimed 5-22 in Vale’s reply as it stumbled to 97 all out.

l Horspath 3rd 25, Abingdon 2nd 2

Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd saw off hosts Chearsley by ten runs in a thriller.

Marc Hignell’s 4-25 and 3-35 from Ed Holland helped to dismiss Buzzard for 128 batting first.

But a five wicket haul from Gareth Benger (5-19) ensured maximum points for Buzzard as Chearsley fell to 118 all out in reply.

l Chearsley 6, L Buzzard 2nd 25

Cumnor 2nd drew with Didcot 2nd.

Batting first, Cumnor posted 236 all out with George Setterfield top-scoring with 57, before Didcot closed out a draw at 184-9.

l Cumnor 2nd 20, Didcot 2nd 8

DIVISIONS 6-9

GREAT & Little Tew 3rd held their nerve to clinch the narrowest of victories against hosts Challow & Childrey 3rd in Division 6.

Jamie Shurmer hit 46 and Simon Prescott 34 as Tew posted 166-9 in 48 overs.

Chris Warboys scored 57 in Challow’s reply, but they fell just one run short at 165 all out as Carl Haggett took 3-39 and Prescott 3-40.

Mohammed Shafqat had a superb day for Twyford 2nd, but couldn’t help his side force victory as they drew at home to Horley 2nd.

Shafaqat hit 116 not out as Twyford racked up 262-4

declared in 46 overs.

Despite having 54 overs to reach the target, Horley couldn’t quite make it as they finished on 245-8, Shafaqat taking 4-44.

Tom Boardman smashed a brilliant 144 for Westbury 2nd, but unlike their first team, his side could manage only a draw with Witney Mills in Division 8.

Boardman’s big ton, plus 71 from Mike Markham, helped Westbury to a massive 354-8 in their 45 overs.

Mike Williams hit 88 in Mills’s reply, but they never got close, closing on 155-6 in a snore draw.

Abingdon Vale 4th captain Paul Rallings finished on 99 not out as his side beat Shipton-under-Wychwood 4th by 98 runs in Division 9 South.