CRICKET: Launchbury smashes ton as Radley edge home in thriller

Launchbury smashed a superb unbeaten century to help Radley maintain their challenge for the title.

In a rain-affected clash reduced to 29 overs a side, Radley amassed a formidable 194-5 as Launchbury made 106 not out and Wasim Mohammed 45.

Westbury put up an excellent chase as former Surrey and Bucks batsman Paul Atkins hit 94 not out, but they closed agonisingly short on 192-5.

Great Horwood saw off hosts Stonesfield by 38 runs under the target score method.

Horwood posted 183-9, before the weather intervened.

When play resumed, Stonesfield were set a revised target of 141 from 25 overs, but fell to 102 all out, despite 65 not out from Tim Wyatt.

Aaron Hirtenstein claimed a six-wicket haul as Oxenford enjoyed a six-wicket win over Cowley Internationals.

Hosts Cowley were shot out for 58 as Hirtenstein took 6-21, and despite losing early wickets, Oxenford eased in at 59-4.

Leaders Minster Lovell were well-placed when they posted 248-7 at home to Charlbury.

James Merriman had topscored with 61 not out, before heavy rain forced the match to be abandoned.

In Division 2, Faringdon’s Nigel Hume was the star of the show in his side’s thrilling onewicket win at Wantage.

The hosts had set 217 all out as Colin Mercer hit 79, but Hume (92) shone for Faringdon to lead his side to 218-9.

The matches at Chipping Norton and Witney Swifts both fell victim to the heavy rain.

Clifton were well-placed on 94-2 in reply to Chippy’s 141-7 when the heavens opened, while Max Godwin’s haul of 5-24 for Witney Swifts at home to Marsh Gibbon was in vain as the rain came after Gibbon closed on 156-9.

The target score method came into play in Division 3 to help Cairns Fudge to a 45-run win away to Eynsham.

Fudge were all out for 206 as Tom Small led the way with 71, while Mark Small hit 37.

Chasing a revised target of 184 after a shower, Eynsham were dismissed for 138, with Tom Small taking 3-21 and James Robertson 3-34.

Watlington defeated Tetsworth by six wickets on the target score method.

Tetsworth were all out for 139, Owen Lewis taking 5-27 and Neil Maguire 5-35.

After several rain breaks, Watlington were set a reduced target of 106 from 30 overs, and they reached 107-4.

Hanborough were left kicking themselves after rattling up a massive 300-3 away to Wootton & Boars Hill, only for the weather to have the final say.

Matthew Neilsen (103no) and Rob Lovick (94no) starred in Hanborough’s mammoth total, but heavy rain forced the players off with Wootton at 28-0.

DIVISION 4

RAIN was the winner, with only two matches reaching a conclusion.

Uffington beat hosts Kidlington by two runs under the target score method.

They were bowled out for 155 as Dan Painter top-scored with 52 and Tom Bozman claimed 5-34.

In a rain-affected clash, Kidlington’s target was reduced to 125 from 32 overs, but they fell just short at 123 all out as Adam Shorten took 5-20.

Dorchester defeated Deddington by six wickets as they successfully chased down the hosts’ 162-8.

Chris Blackburn shone for Deddington with 60, but 47 not out from Steve McCombe and 42 from Richard Sharman led Dorchester to 164-4.

Games involving Hailey and Stanton Harcourt, Marcham and Britwell Salome and Swinbrook and Kilkenny were all abandoned.

DIVISIONS 5-6

MARTIN Clutterbuck returned excellent figures of 8-45 to help West Witney complete a 94-run victory at Charlbury 2nd in Division 5.

West Witney had posted 181-9 with Chris Thompson hitting 47 and Paul Adams taking 5-42.

Charlbury had no answer to Clutterbuck, who ripped through their order to dismiss the hosts for 87.

Hook Norton came away from Kennington with a six-wicket win.

After dismissing their hosts for 104, Hooky reached 105-4, Grant Wallis hitting 44 and Jason Davis 36 not out.

Sunningwell beat hosts Risinghurst by eight wickets on the target score method.

The home side were bowled out for 129 before the rain came.

Chasing a revised target of 84 from 25 overs, Sunningwell eased home at 85-2 with six overs to spare.

Westbury 2nd won with two wickets to spare in a thrilling clash against hosts Bampton in Division 6.

With plenty of rain around, Westbury won with three balls left to go clear at the top.

Ted Landray hit 82 in Bampton’s 175-9, while Harry Lewis took 4-24.

In reply, Westbury lost regular wickets, but, thanks to Michael Markham’s 65, they edged home at 176-8.

Ex-Horspath players Andy Wynd and Alex Eason once again held sway to help Brill to a 96-run victory against visitors Kidlington on the target score method.

Brill rattled up 269-6 as Eason hit 89 and Wynd 78.

After a rain delay, Kidlington were set a revised target of 228, but they fell well short on 131-9, despite 63 not out from Sam Rodway.

Drew McHenry hit 65 not out in Shrivenham’s eight-wicket win at Faringdon 2nd.

Alan Carter (4-26) and Richard Deacon (4-29) helped dismiss Faringdon for 105, before McHenry led Shrivenham home.

Great Horwood 2nd cruised to an eight-wicket win at home to Chipping Norton 2nd.

The match was reduced to 30 overs a side, and Chippy fell to 136 all out.

Rhys Warner-Carter top-scored for Chippy with 44, while Ian McStraw took a hat-trick in figures of 6-32.

Gary Lee then scored 75 not out to see the home side to victory at 140-2.

Hanney collapsed from 50-1 to 93 all out as they lost by five-wickets at home to Broughton & North Newington 2nd.

Habib Ur Rehman was the pick of the Broughton bowlers with 4-22, before the visitors reached 94-5.

DIVISIONS 7-10

COWLEY Internationals 2nd moved up to second place in Division 7 with a 12-run victory at Wolvercote on the target score method.

Cowley were bowled out for 192 as Habib Mohammed hit 59 and Muhammad Adil 55, while Jason Elliott took 6-42.

A revised target of 142 was set after rain, and Wolvercote fell to 129 all out as Hamed Zaman took 6-17.

Hanborough 2nd beat visitors Radley 2nd by six wickets in another match decided by the target score method.

Radley declared on 237-9 in 43 overs as Harri Guy hit 70 and Muzammil Rehman 51.

After a lengthy rain break, Hanborough’s target was revised to 159 from 25 overs, and the hosts put up a tremendous show to reach 160-4 as Joe Burgess hit 90 not out from 50 balls to win the game with three overs to spare.

Just two matches were completed in Division 8.

Chadlington 2nd beat visitors Swinbrook 2nd by one wicket on the target score method.

Swinbrook posted 162 all out, Jonathan Woodward hitting 78 not out.

The target was revised to 143 after rain, and Chadlington edged in at 144-9 with Leo Lambert hitting 48 and Glenn McCallum 37 not out.

Minster Lovell 3rd’s home clash with Combe fell victim to the weather, but there was time for veteran Lyndsay Halliwell to take a hat-trick in figures of 4-38 before the heavens opened.

In Division 9, Marcham saw off hosts Chesterton 2nd by five wickets.

The home side posted 162-8 with Alfie Appleton hitting 40.

But Ed Warwick (76) and Stephen Hill (68no) shone in Marcham’s reply to lead them to 163-5.

Division 10 leaders Britwell Salome 2nd eased past visitors Charlbury 3rd by eight wickets.

Zaffir Hussain took 3-30 in Charlbury’s 109 all out, before Hassan Khurshi (47) and Mark Ham (38no) led Britwell home at 110-2.

Kidlington 3rd beat Deddington 2nd by 20 runs on the target score method.

Batting first, Kidlington posted 202-5 with Sahil Kaylan top-scoring on 42.

After the rain, Deddington were set 171 for victory, but Simon Hague returned brilliant figures of 8-30 to restrict the visitors to 150-9.