In a season which, remarkably, has been relatively unaffected by poor weather, it was ironic that heavy rain on the penultimate Saturday of the season should become a deciding factor for so many promotion and relegation issues, writes Keith Campbell.

The Division 1 championship and relegation tussles will bubble on until next week's last round of matches.

But Thame's Manoj Parmar set a new league record for the most runs scored in a season before rain washed out their game against already-relegated Leighton Buzzard.

Seeking the 95 runs he needed to reach the milestone of a 1000 in a season, he raced to 77 from just over 80 deliveries passing Oxfordshire skipper Rob Williams's mark of 961 in the process but then received a corker from Lee Selfe and was bowled. With Thame on 163-5 in the 30th over with Adam Kroll making 37 as Buzzard's 16-year-old off-spinner Anthony Francis took 3-31, the heavens opened and the game had to be abandoned.

Parmar will be looking to collect the 18 more runs he needs to bring up the 1,000 in Thame's final game at Cumnor on Saturday.

Kimble are confirmed as champions of Division 2.

They will be joined in Division 1 next season by either Oxford Downs or Bourton Vale, who visit Great & Little Tew and Banbury 2nd respectively this week.

With further irony, this issue is one that may well have otherwise been virtually settled already if Saturday's head-to-head between the two contenders had not been cancelled.

Bicester & North Oxford 2nd's rained-off game with Kimble means they are relegated with Bletchley 2nd into Division 3 next year, to be accompanied by either Kingston Bagpuize or Great & Little Tew.

Kingston had the chance to boost their hopes of beating the drop when their game at Bletchley 2nd beat the rain.

But, instead, they now find themselves even deeper in trouble after their decision to insert Bletchley backfired and they only picked up three points.

Bletchley made 144-8 from 30 overs with Dave Shepherd (39) and Graham Simpson (33) leading the way as Martin Savage took 3-31. After losing prolific openers Martin Shepherd and Rob Keates in the first three overs of their reply, Kingston struggled to 112-8 with Barry Collis making 30 as Simpson completed a fine all-round effort with 3-28.

Bletchley were subsequently deducted a point for slow over rate, leaving them with 14.

The three relegated clubs will be replaced by Aston Rowant, whose promotion from Division 3B was confirmed last week, Tiddington, who become Division 3C champions following Satur- day's washout, and either Witney Mills or Kidlington from Division 3A, with the odds heavily in favour of Mills.

Mills entertain relegation-threatened Cumnor 2nd, while Kidlington face an awkward trip to Abingdon Vale, who need 12 points to be sure of Division 3 status.

Horspath, Henley 2nd, Cropredy, Aylesbury and Bledlow Ridge are already certain of third division status next year. Wendover or Didcot will be the ones to profit if Abingdon slip up.

In a Division 3C clash to beat the rain, Wolverton Town 2nd won a thriller at Aston Rowant 2nd. Put in to bat, Rowant made 158-5, declaring after 30 of their 32 allotted overs, with Neil Lambourne (44), Nigel Joiner (40) and Chris Eaton (35) in the runs, Dave Smith taking 3-50.

With 34 overs at their disposal, Wolverton's Amos (38) and Garrini (36) scored well as Ryan Dutton took 3-38, before Tony Baker's unbeaten 49 took Wolverton to victory with just three balls to spare.

Rowant took 12 points with Wolverton collecting 30.