RYAN Gordon plundered a brilliant 131 not out as Challow & Childrey thrashed fellow Division 2 high-fliers Leighton Buzzard by 104 runs to maintain their title bid.
Buzzard would have regretted putting Challow in to bat as Gordon led by example to steer his side to 259-6 dec in 52 overs.
Buzzard were never in the hunt in their reply.
Although Greg Proudfoot struck 58 for the visitors, spells of 3-37 by Joe Harris and 3-38 for Conor Jones ensured Buzzard were shot out for 155.
Challow are 12 points behind Buckingham Town 2nd, who hammered hosts Bledlow Village by 146 runs.
They racked up 271-7, Steve Beck (61), Steve Brunning (55) and Ben Laycock (51) leading the way.
Bledlow never recovered from 5-4, crashing to 125 all out in the 34th over.
Oxford 2nd’s brilliant second half to the season continued as they brushed aside visitors Didcot by seven wickets.
Didcot were bowled out for 110 in the 45th over, before Oxford eased home at 111-3 to move up to fourth.
Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts had their relegation confirmed after a crushing 112-run defeat at home to Sandford St Martin.
Sandford reached 210-7 in 53 overs, Chris Thompson top-scoring with 45.
Three wickets apiece for Martin Anson, Henry Portman and Chris Thompson sent Nondies to 98 all out – and their sorry day was summed up by having five points deducted for no scorer.
Great & Little Tew 2nd slumped to 119 all out and subsequently lost by three wickets at Cropredy as their relegation fears increased.
Jake Heath took 4-40 for the home side as only Curtly Slatter (49) got going for Tew.
Ed Somerton then scored 57 in Cropredy’s reply, leading them to 120-7, despite 5-59 from Liam Manley.
STRUGGLING Banbury 3rd were no match for Wolverton Town, who ran out six-wicket winners to move top of Division 3.
A brilliant haul of 6-55 from Idrees Butt saw Banbury all out for 179, James Mitchelmore hitting 69.
Wolverton reached 182-4 in the 44th over, Ahsan Malik (49no) top-scoring.
Charan Chahal’s five-wicket haul helped Oxford Downs 2nd to a 38-run victory at East Oxford.
Downs were all out for only 145 as Chetan Walia took 5-33.
But leg-spinner Chahal then claimed 5-14 as East Oxford slumped to 107 all out in their reply.
LEFT-arm spinner Eddie Dunn returned a six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick, as Minster Lovell returned to winning ways to go back to the top of Division 4 with a 38-run win at home to fellow title-chasers Stokenchurch.
Minster were bowled out in the 50th over for 191, James Merriman top-scoring with 39.
But Dunn was the star of the show, taking 6-32 as Stokenchurch were bowled out for 153 in reply.
Witney Mills saw off hosts Tiddington 2nd by seven wickets to consolidate their position in fourth.
Olly Burney took 3-28 as Tiddington were bowled out for just 84, and then Sam Cross (53) led Mills to 85-3 in the 14th over.
Struggling Horspath 3rd picked up only their second win of a difficult campaign, running out three-wicket winners at home to Thame Town 2nd.
Andy Cummins (5-38) and Haydon Moon (3-43) combined to dismiss Thame for 168.
In a thrilling run-chase, Horspath reached 169-7 with three balls to spare. Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd slumped to a six-wicket defeat at home to Bletchley Town.
Electing to bat first, Shipton posted 184-9 in their 53 overs, Ian Harris top-scoring with 53.
But visitors Bletchley were in a hurry as they raced to 189-4 in just 22 overs, Naeem Shahzad leading the way with a quickfire 93 not out.
Brackley hammered visitors Dinton 2nd by ten wickets to maintain their promotion push.
After skittling Dinton out for just 91, Brackley reached 93-0 in the 20th over.
Bicester & North Oxford suffered a shock defeat at struggling Great Brickhill 2nd, who cruised to a six-wicket victory.
Bicester were all out for 157, Asif Khan taking 5-36.
The hosts then cruised to 159-4.
Cublington leapfrogged Horley into third as Ketan Patel starred.
He struck 118 in his side’s 280-6 declared and then took 6-71 as Horley were bowled out for 232 in reply.
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