CRICKET: Cherwell League round-up

The result leaves the hosts rooted to the foot of the table, still without a win, while Didcot boosted their promotion hopes.

Winning the toss, visiting skipper Richard Cook inserted Sandford, and his side quickly got to work.

Webb took three of the top four as the hosts slumped to 44-5.

Although Ian Reynolds, batting at No 8, helped to rebuild with 25 not out, Sandford had no answer to Webb, who finished with 4-50 and Spears, who took 4-30 in his ten-over spell.

Jordan Morrison claimed the other two wickets to fall as Sandford were shot out for 110 in the 36th over.

Elliot Mathews fell cheaply in Didcot’s reply, as did skipper Cook.

But Karl Johnston hit 68 and Will Woodley 22 not out as they cruised to 111-3 in the 25th over to secure maximum points.

Westbury maintained their title charge with a four-wicket victory at Aston Rowant 2nd.

The leaders inserted their hosts, and, thanks largely to Graham Judd (3-55) and Richard Tredwell (3-69), Rowant were bowled out for 209, Chris Eaton hitting 86.

In reply, Harry Purton led the way with 55 not out, while Olly Tice hit 48 as Westbury reached 213-6.

Jake Heath took 6-44 to help Cropredy to a crushing 181-run win over Bledlow Village.

Saim Hussain (85) and Joe Fox (61) helped Cropredy to 270-9 in their 53 overs, before Heath took centre-stage, as, alongside Ali Worby (4-40), Bledlow were shot out for 89.

Oxford 2nd edged past hosts Horspath 2nd by four runs in a thriller.

After choosing to bat, the visitors were all out for 196, Mursaleen Sadiqi hitting 59 and Luke Heritage taking 4-52.

Asad Rafiq then hit 54 not out in Horspath’s reply, but they fell agonisingly short on 192

all out with Andrew Busby proving the chief destroyer with 4-57.

Wolverton edged past visitors Leighton Buzzard Town by two wickets.

Chasing Buzzard’s 221 all out, Wolverton reached 222-8 as Atif Akhlaq scored 99.

In Division 1, Oxford Downs eased to an eight-wicket win over Tiddington to keep up their title charge.

They restricted their visitors to 180-9 in their 53 overs, before racing to 181-2 in 38.

Tiddington opted to bat first, but, with the exception of Will Cooper (79), they struggled to make much headway.

Harry Sutton took 4-41 and Tom Costley 3-14 to restrict the away side.

In reply, brothers George and Chris Sandbach scored 60 and 53 not out respectively, while Adam Beck chipped in with 44 to steer Downs home.

Abingdon Vale followed up last weekend’s win against Tiddington with a thrilling one-wicket victory at home to Challow & Childrey.

The visitors chose to bat first, but were bowled out for 144, Justin Penrose top-scoring with 49 as six Vale bowlers took wickets.

The hosts were cruising at 87-2, but lost a flurry of wickets.

However, thanks to Will Barker’s 55, they edged to 145-9, Joe Harris claiming 4-23 for the visitors.

Cumnor lost a high-scoring thriller with hosts Great Brickhill by one wicket.

Cumnor set 232-9 in their 53 overs as Michael Race showed a welcome return to form with 46 and Chris De Verteuill 34.

Brickhill lost wickets throughout with Alex Davies taking 4-29 and Max Mannering 3-64.

But Arjun Jhala finished on 78 not out to secure his side a one-wicket win.

Twyford crashed to 84 all out and a 139-run defeat at Long Marston.

Marston set 223-9, despite an excellent 6-46 for Mohammed Fayyaz.

James Beesley (5-12) and Peter Toovey (3-12) then combined to run through Twyford for just 84.

Banbury 2nd held on for a draw against visitors Buckingham Town 2nd.

Buckingham posted 241-9 in their 53 overs, Matthew Thatcher top-scoring with 75 and Steve Beck hitting 60.

Richard Simpson claimed 4-24 for Banbury, who then reached 233-7 in their reply as Justin Lambden scored 73.

Bicester & North Oxford were far too strong for Horley as they cruised to an 86-run win to maintain top spot in Division 3.

After being inserted, Bicester posted 227-8, Dan Savin hitting 68 and Alister Gibbins 65.

Dave Eaton was the pick of the bowlers with 4-74.

In reply, Horley fell for 141 as Matt Woods took 3-19 and Dan Clark 3-47.

The victory sees Bicester open up a 29-point gap at the top of the table, with a further 17 points back to the third-placed team.

Oxford Downs 2nd denied Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts maximum points as they battled out for a draw.

Nondies set 241-8 in their 53 overs as Garry Adamson hit 58 and Wasim Mehmood took 3-44.

Mehmood then scored 73 in Downs’ reply, but they were clinging on at the end on 177-9.

Minster Lovell returned to winning ways after a six-wicket victory against visitors Great Brickhill 2nd.

They dismissed their visitors for 114 as Eddie Dunn took 3-16 and Leigh Smith 3-24.

Jack Simpson then hit 39 and Dunn 30 not out to steer Minster to 117-4.

Banbury 3rd also batted out for a draw as they frustrated visitors Stokenchurch.

Josh Triggs (57) and Majid Ahmed (55no) helped third-placed Stokenchurch to 259-9, Mike Simpson taking 3-69.

Simpson then top-scored with 32 not out as a dogged Banbury clung on at 162-9.

Great & Little Tew 2nd continued their upwards momentum with a crushing nine-wicket win at Cublington.

They skittled their hosts out for just 68, then cruised to 72-1 in eight overs.

The result saw Tew climb out of the bottom two and sees Cublington cast adrift at the bottom.

Thomas Harris hit a brilliant century and Jake Godfrey claimed six wickets as Charlbury posted a rare victory with a seven-wicket success at Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd in Division 4.

Godfrey took 6-52 to help dismiss the basement side for 169, Jamie Nelson hitting 50.

Harris then scored 100 not out to steer Charlbury home at 172-3, however they did have three points deducted for a slow over rate.

East Oxford continued their march towards the title as they defeated visitors Abingdon Vale 2nd by five wickets.

Opener Rob Hood carried his bat for a turgid 63 not out in 47 overs for Abingdon as they set 145 all out.

Joffy Cummings was the only other batsman to get going with a patient 32.

Fawad Khan took 3-41 for East Oxford, who wasted little time in reaching the target.

They cruised in at 146-5 in 24.3 overs, Jahangir Qureshi hitting 45, to stay top and leave Abingdon in deep trouble at the wrong end of the table, with only Shipton below them.

Second-placed Thame Town 2nd fell to a surprise defeat at home to Brackley, who in turn moved up to third.

The hosts were all out for 127, Matt Furness top-scoring with 55.

But that total was never likely to be enough as Luke Stone (60) led Brackley to 131-5.

Zak Jarvis shone with a super all-round performance as Witney Mills recorded a six-wicket win against visitors Long Marston

2nd.

Jarvis took 5-33 and Ollie Burney 4-65 as Marston were all out for 144.

Jarvis then top-scored with 38 to lead Mills to 146-4.

Tiddington 2nd fell to a four-wicket defeat at home to Bletchley Town.

Jacob Davis hit 59 in Tiddington’s 170 all out, Jude Ramanadanpulle taking 5-51.

Colin Bird then claimed 5-55 for Tiddington, but 68 from Matt Shepherd saw Bletchley to 173-6.

Cropredy 2nd beat hosts Chearsley by five wickets to stay clear at the top of Division 5.

The hosts set 259 all out, before George Buckingham scored an unbeaten 96 to lead Cropredy to 263-5.

Horspath 3rd saw off hosts Cumnor 2nd by five wickets.

The home side were bowled out for 136 as George Horsley claimed 3-11.

Craig Wharton then hit 31 to lead Horspath to 137-5.

Aston Rowant 3rd fell to a 103-run defeat at Kimble, for whom Bradley Rose played a starring role.

Rose hit 103 not out in Kimble’s

261-4, then claimed 4-37 as Rowant fell for 158 in reply.

Kingston Bagpuize and Didcot 2nd played out a draw, Kingston scoring 211-8 and Didcot holding on at 166-9.

Dinton 2nd saw off Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd by one wicket.

Chasing the hosts’ 226 all out, Elliot Lloyd hit 55 as Dinton reached 229-9.

Josh Richardson struck 100 not out for Horspath 4th in their 113-run win over Wolverton Town 2nd.

The 13-year-old produced a superb knock to help his side post 218-6 in their 45 overs.

Greg Handley took 6-45 as Wolverton were shot out for 105 in the Division 7 clash.

Tom Boardman’s 164 was in vain for Westbury 2nd, who had to settle for a draw against Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Westbury set 317-6, but could not force a win as Nondies closed on 217-7.

David Coates scored 90 not out to lead Aston Rowant 4th to a five-wicket win over visitors East Oxford 2nd.

East Oxford set 227-9 in their 45 overs, but Coates and David White (50) saw Rowant to 229-5 with more than three overs to spare.

A fine haul of 6-31 for Sam Evans helped Didcot 3rd to a three-wicket win at Great & Little Tew 3rd.

Sam Jones hit 82 to help Eynsham to a two-wicket win over Minster Lovell 2nd to move out of the Division 6 relegation zone.

Minster had been bowled out for 196 as Mark Weller took 4-34, before Jones steered Eynsham to victory.

In Division 8, Robert Jones-Walters hit 121 not out for Challow & Childrey 3rd, but they were held to a draw by hosts Charlbury 2nd.

Syed Ali’s 7-23 saw Didcot 4th to a 120-run win over Chearsley 2nd in Division 10.