MUHAMMAD Ayub hit a brilliant unbeaten century for Oxford before rain washed out their Division 1 derby at Horspath.

The former Pakistan Test batsman made 100 not out off 98 balls, with four sixes and 12 fours, to take Oxford to 254-5 off their 50 overs after they had elected to bat in the Home Counties Premier League clash.

The game was intriguingly poised with Horspath 50-0 off 16.2 overs when the match was stopped on a day when rain hit the majority of the league’s fixtures.

Ayub mixed powerful pull shots with some deft deflections as he shared a third-wicket stand of 145 with captain Jamie Perkin.

Following the Oxford skipper’s dismissal for 76 from 92 deliveries, which included two sixes and 11 fours, Ayub brought up his ton with a single off the third ball of the last over bowled by Jersey international Elliot Miles, who took 1-43 from his nine overs of left-arm spin.

Earlier, opener Owyn Tong-Jones had made 40, before falling to left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher, who was the pick of the Horspath attack with 2-35.

Opener Tom Coleman had made a fluent unbeaten 31 to put Horspath marginally ahead of the Duckworth Lewis Stern target when the heavens opened before 20 overs had been completed to leave the sides with six points apiece.

Banbury’s fixture was the only top-flight match to be completed, but they fell to a seven-wicket defeat on the DLS method.

The hosts elected to bat and posted 159-9 from their 50 overs, with Qaasim Adams top-scoring with 34 off 74 deliveries as the visitors shared the wickets around.

Despite Brad Taylor dismissing Eliot Callis early on, Wycombe had reached 140-3 in the 41st over when rain came, giving them victory on DLS.

William Pendered took five wickets for Aston Rowant, but rain stopped their run-chase at home to Finchampstead.

The visitors elected to bat, losing wickets regularly as Pendered, who took 5-21 off 8.1 overs, and Wes Morrick (2-13) did the damage.

Dan Lincoln’s half-century was Finchampstead’s only highlight as they were all out for 146 in 41 overs.

Rowant lost an early wicket in reply when Tom Condon was dismissed off his third ball, before the match was cut short with the hosts on 20-1.

Thame Town shared the points with Henley as rain also stopped play at Church Meadow.

The hosts elected to bat and were dismissed for 160 in the 48th over.

Thame took an early wicket as champions Henley were restricted to 8-1, only for rain to stop play after only four overs of their innings.

Rain could not save Shipton-under-Wychwood as they slipped to a second-straight defeat when losing by 140 runs at home to Chesham in Division 2.

The hosts always faced an uphill battle after the visitors set 260-6, before they were skittled for 120.

Shipton inserted Chesham and restricted the Buckinghamshire side to 74-3, with spinner Shaun Miller taking 2-31.

But a fourth-wicket stand of 133 between Robin Pritchard (67) and Jason Rance (66) proved the difference as Chesham posted a formidable target.

Shipton were always struggling in reply after opener Craig Wood was dismissed off his fifth ball.

They lost wickets at regular intervals, with only three batsman making double figures.

Tim Senior top-scored with 32 as they were dismissed inside 32 overs, Matthew Warner doing most of the damage, taking 3-18.

Captain Harry Smith made an unbeaten half-century before Great & Little Tew’s fixture at Harefield fell foul of the wet weather.

The hosts elected to field and restricted their visitors to 34-3.

But Tew recovered well thanks to a fourth-wicket partnership between opener Smith, whose 52 not out came off 84 deliveries and included four boundaries, and Tom Price (39no).

The duo put on an unbeaten stand of 83 before rain stopped play after 28 overs.