CRICKET: Thame defeated but retain top-flight status

Along with the league’s other clubs, Thame only learned of the new approach to determining which teams are promoted and which go down with just two lots of fixtures left.

The system is certainly novel and will have its supporters, but only the league will know why clubs had to wait until the last week of August to hear about it.

A final decision on the ups and downs will be made when the management committee has met in the autumn.

This is partly because applications from potential new clubs are still being considered.

But if the committee sticks by its own guidelines and, on the assumption that any new clubs will join in Division 4 or below, then Thame are safe and Bledlow Village, third in Division 2, will miss out on promotion.

This is because ninth-placed Thame finished closer to the team right above them than Bledlow managed in the division below.

On Saturday, Thame chose to bat and managed 176-8 from their 53 overs, Michael Beard top scoring with 55.

Staying up with the required rate was never an issue for Cumnor, for whom Callum Russell made 64 and James Fitzjohn 46.

But they kept losing wickets and only just made it to 179-7 in the 43rd over.

• Cumnor 25pts, Thame Town 10

Tiddington enjoyed the better of a draw at champions Buckingham Town to secure their highest ever finish.

The visitors lost both openers cheaply but rebuilt through efforts from Nick Pykett (84) and Matthew Johnston (31) to finish on185-6 from 51 overs.

Town’s innings was also reduced – to 45 overs – and they were soon in trouble when Sam Hollingshead (4-33) reduced them to 52-4.

But Jack Parrish (42no) and Simon Myatt (33) saw them to 167-8.

• Buckingham Town 7pts, Tiddington 15

Oxford Downs’ nine-year stay in the top flight ended with a whimper when they were on the wrong end of a draw at home to Great Brickhill.

Jonathan Meardon showed some fighting spirit by taking 6-69 from 16 overs as Brickhill made their way to 216-8.

However, Anton de Beer (58) and Doug Aris (51) held the innings together.

Downs’ top seven were then blown away before Darryl Woods (45no) at least staved off defeat by defiantly taking his side to 157-9 at the close.

• Oxford Downs 5, Great Brickhill 19

Oxford 2nd chose to bat at home to Banbury 2nd only to collapse horribly to 61 all out.

Only three batsmen made it into double figures as left-arm spinner Steve Hart took 6-17 and seamer Ollie Murrey collected 3-11.

Banbury used 19.3 overs in reaching 65-1.

• Oxford 2nd 1, Banbury 2nd 25

Wolverton Town secured the runners-up spot by beating Twyford in a tense finale.

Jude Ramanadanpulle took 4-37 as Twyford managed 163-9.

Shahid Mahmood (37) was the only frontline batsman to get going, before tailender Usman Ijaz hit an unbeaten 42.

Town started badly but a partnership between Zak Wade (51no) and Shahzad Mohammed (50) saw them to 166-8.

• Wolverton Town 25, Twyford 11

ABINGDON Vale were saved the prospect of relegation from Division 2 after Cublington were found to have played an unregistered player in three games this season.

Their Bucks rivals have been docked a total of 25 points for their misdemeanour, with the sides they faced in the matches concerned awarded victories.

And with one of those games coming against Vale in July, it is Cublington who finish the season with just Cropredy below them in the table.

On Saturday, Abingdon were unable to stop Leighton Buzzard Town storming to the title and a return to Division 1.

Joe Butcher (3-23) gave Vale a good start before Town recovered to post 156 all out.

Phil Whatmore hit 54 and Dave Roberts made 44,while Graham Charlesworth took 4-27 on a rare first-team appearance.

Butcher then bludgeoned 39, but the visitors crumbled to 112 all out against Tom Light (3-10) and Lee Selfe (3-49), although will retain their Division 2 spot.

• Leighton Buzzard Tn 25, Abingdon Vale 6

Cublington conceded 249-7 at Challow & Childrey.

Luke Jones (44), Pat Bryan (42), Fred Walker (38) and Ryan Gordon (34) shone while Tom Darling took 4-61 and Ben Orchard 3-62.

Conor Jones then took 6-44 as the visitors were out for 162 despite Steve George’s 74.

• Challow & Childrey 25pts, Cublington 6

Aston Rowant 2nd were swept aside by Long Marston, who earned promotion to the top division for the first time.

Tom Condon (72) was the mainstay of Rowant’s 178 all out, during which Lee Beesley took 4-26 and Pete Toovey 3-31.

Jack Doodson then hit an unbeaten 44 in Marston’s 179-3.

• Aston Rowant 2nd 6, Long Marston 25

Horspath 2nd hit 252-7 at home to Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts, with Joe Todd (85), Jehan Mohammed (50) and Jack Biggs (43) on song.

Ben Henderson then took 6-37, but Tim Rattigan (39), Aadam Samiullah (37) and Pablo Mukherjee (31) earned Nondies a draw on 172-9.

• Horspath 2nd 20, Oxford & Bletch Nondies 6

Cropredy’s one-season stay in Division 2 came to an end after a 66-run defeat at Bledlow Village.

• Bledlow Village 25, Cropredy 4

SAM Smith (79no) and Kevin Taylor (46no) set up the win that sealed the Division 3 title for Great & Little Tew 2nd.

Dinton 2nd started well through Peter Baker (4-49) and Neil Davies (3-41), only for Tew to reach 222-7. Taylor (4-8) then helped dismiss Dinton for 125.

Dinton 2nd 4pts, Gt & Little Tew 2nd 25 Sandford St Martin are up after Buckingham Town 2nd collapsed from 82-0 to 136 all out.

Good work by openers Steve Brunning (51) and Matt Thatcher (36) was wasted as Tom Goffe took 4-20 and Simon Smith 3-3.

Sandford’s openers Jim Howe (73) and Tim Lowe (50no) put on 123 as their side made 140-3.

• Sandf’d St Martin 25, Buck’ham T 2nd 5

Didcot will play in Division 2 for the first time after finishing 11 points behind runners-up Sandford, while in the division above, ninth-placed Cublington were 32 points adrift of Abingdon.

Off-spinner Ian Demain took 4-32 for Didcot as Banbury 3rd were bowled out for 124.

The visitors took 24.5 overs to score 126-3, with Shaun Burningham (43) and Henry Brisland (35) keen to start celebrating.

• Banbury 3rd 4, Didcot 25

Jeremy Kirby (57) and Paul Hemming (43) helped Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd reach 213-7 after batting first at Bicester & North Oxford.

Hemming then took 4-54 but Bicester cruised to 214-4.

Dan Murphy (59) and Jamie Carter (41) put on 105, before Matt Collins (40) and Richard Simpson (36no) finished the job.

• Bicester & North Oxford 25, Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd 8

Oxford Downs 2nd became only the second side not to beat Bletchley Town. Matthew Flower (75) and Alex Owen (70) starred in Downs’ 244-8. Kieran Turner (58) helped Town to 185-8.

• Bletchley Town 6, Oxford Downs 2nd 19

Division 4 champions Horley signed off their campaign in style by thrashing Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd.

Darren de Bruyn took 6-48 as Town tumbled to 96 all out – 60 of which were scored by Riaan Krynauw.

Earlier the home side had posted 190 thanks in part to Dave Clark (54), as once again only Krynauw (6-38) stood in their way.

• Horley 25pts, Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd 5

Runners-up Blewbury & Wallingford finished their season with a similarly emphatic victory at Kimble.

Joey Edwards (63) and Rob Sessions (43) helped them to 202-7, which proved more than enough as the hosts collapsed to 118 all out. Harry Warman ended with 3-20.

• Kimble 4, Blewbury & Wallingford 25

East Oxford look destined for Division 5 after collecting only three points from their defeat at Great Brickhill 2nd.

The visitors were rumbled for just 127 as only Sulaiman Hussain (32) put up a fight.

Lee Morgan took 4-50 and then watched Patrick Prasad smash 11 fours on his way to 67 in Brickhill’s 128-2.

• Great Brickhill 2nd 25, East Oxford 3

Richard Giles took 7-85 but his Kingston Bagpuize side were still outplayed by Witney Mills, who made 216-9 after being inserted.

Sam Haselgrove hit 72 and Dan Swindells stroked 46 for the visitors, who reduced Bagpuize to 111-9 after tea.

• Kingston Bagpuize 5, Witney Mills 19

John Rolfe (45), Simon Martin (40) and Phil Brooks (40no) were the mainstays for Bledlow Ridge, who made 173-8 at Chearsley. Ken Baker took 4-31 from his 17 overs.

The home side did not look back once openers James Veness (37) and Andy Crichton (34) had put on 72, and eased to 176-3 through Neil Davies (51no).

• Chearsley 25, Bledlow Ridge 6

A magical spell from Merlin Vaughan (5-28) took Tiddington 2nd to an easy win at champions Stokenchurch and so confirmed their promotion as runners-up.

The visitors were embarrassed as they made only 54, having at different stages been 6-4 and 49-5. Neil Smith (3-7) captured some late wickets.

Tiddington were 12-2 in replybut went on to grab the without further loss.

• Tiddington 2nd 25pts, Stokenchurch 2

Brackley triumphed at Abingdon Vale 2nd to finish third and will presumably hope to have their promotion confirmed by the league’s management committee some time soon.

Josh Rowland took 4-36 as Valefell to 121 all out. Tom Guntrip top-scored with 37.

Paul Butcher then took 3-23 but he was powerless to prevent Eric Carpenter (47) leading his side to 122-5.

• Abingdon Vale 2nd 6, Brackley 25

Bledlow Village 2nd took the honours at Didcot 2nd, but both sides now appear set to line up in the division below next summer.

Jose Taboada made 43 out of Didcot’s 141 all out, during which Andrew Reclik claimed 5-41.

James Hawkes then hit 55 as Bledlow raced to 144-7 in only 24 overs.

• Didcot 2nd 9, Bledlow Village 2nd 25

George Patey struck a fine 42 and No 10 Chris Penny 33 as Thame Town 2nd recovered from 123-7 to finish on 239 all out at home toCumnor 2nd.

The excellent Michael Jones finished with 5-59.

James Lee (63) gave the visitors hope, but Alastair Thomas and Olly Sutcliffe both took 4-29 to reduce them to 191 all out.

• Thame Town 2nd 25, Cumnor 2nd 9

Twyford 2nd tumbled to 79 all out at home to Oxford 3rd, who made heavy weather of the run chase before reaching 80-7.

• Twyford 2nd 7, Oxford 3rd 25