ASTON Rowant clinched the Division 1 title after a nervy win at home to Oxford Downs.

Tom Needham was their hero, crashing 18 runs off 11 balls to lead his side to a three-wicket victory with seven balls to spare.

Earlier, Downs had made 248-8 from their 50 overs, Wes Bartlett top-scoring with 85 and Richard West chipping in with 42.

Tim Foster took 5-77 for Rowant and then watched Chris Watling (85) and Andrew Hicks (46) set up the dramatic climax. Downs were docked two points for their slow over rate.

Aston Rowant 30pts, Oxford Downs 15

Buckingham Town's win at Oxford 2nd therefore became irrelevant at the top of the table, but the home side's defeat saw them relegated.

James Gear and Ben Stafford both took 4-43 for Town - who would have been champions if Rowant had failed to win - as Oxford were restricted to 166 all out.

John Williams (45) and Lee Tomlinson, who hit a patient 67 from 125 balls, held together the visitors' reply, which was finished off with 9.5 overs and four wickets in hand.

Oxford 2nd 13, Buckingham Tn 30

Challow & Childrey finish bottom and Dinton completed a remarkable escape from relegation after the Buckinghamshire side triumphed by 51 runs.

The prolific Paul Atkins hit 125 after Dinton made the most of being asked to bat first, posting 241-5.

Challow's reply was in ruins at 75-6 as veteran seamer Paul Ludlow took four wickets. Mark Crone (50) and Mike Konschel (40) added 90 for the seventh wicket, but only delayed the inevitable as the home side were bowled out for 190 to end the season without a win.

Challow & Childrey 5, Dinton 30

Danny Harding (62) gave Banbury 2nd a storming start at Milton Keynes Park and Mark Rorich (89) helped the visitors close on 241-9.

A sumptuous 112 from Graham Simpson gave Park a decent chance, but they were unable to score the 14 runs needed from the last two overs, being bowled out for 228.

Milton Keynes Park 19, Banbury 2nd 30

Shipton-under-Wychwood spinner Shaun Miller suffered the ignominy of being hit for six to lose the match - and watched the ball smash into his parked car.

Banbury Twenty's Faisal Khalid did the damage off the first ball of the final over.

Shipton were defending 175-8, in which Michael Thomas took 4-52.

For Twenty, Dave Burbidge produced the highest individual score of the match (37) as they edged home with eight wickets down.

Banbury Twenty 30, Shipton-under-Wychwood 15