THAME Town suffered a calamitous collapse as they lost by one-run at Slough in a heart-breaking climax.
The visitors, bottom of Division 1 with only one win all season, looked certain to pull off a shock victory against their title-chasing rivals.
After restricting Slough to 271-4 dec in 62 overs, despite 106 from Conrad Louth, Thame built up a seemingly unassailable position.
Gamindu Kanishka, with a superb 110 from 102 balls, and skipper Michael Beard (61) added 152 for the third wicket to put them in command at 215-2.
Even after both had been dismissed, Thame needed only 20 with five wickets in hand.
It came down to five runs needed with three wickets standing.
Kalim Khan was dismissed in the penultimate over.
In the last over, Callum Russell was bowled and Andy Russell was run out off the final ball going for the single that would have levelled the scores and Thame were all out for 270.
The result put Slough top after overnight leaders Aston Rowant suffered an 85-run defeat at High Wycombe.
Rowant reduced the hosts to 90-6, thanks to a great opening spell by Wes Morrick (4-75).
But Alan Duncan’s 79 helped them recover to 215 all out, Dan Moriarty taking 4-62.
The visitors slumped to 63-7 against Cameron Parsons (4-29) and Tom Hampton (4-53) and before Morrick’s unbeaten 38 took them reach 130 all out in 45 overs.
Oxford’s brittle batting was again in evidence in their five-wicket defeat at Henley.
A fine knock by skipper Jamie Perkin (55) had the visitors well placed on 128-2.
But the innings fell away against the spin of Euan Brock (5-35) and they slipped to 176 all out.
Henley cruised to 177-5 in the 52nd over despite a tidy spell of 3-60 by Chris Humphreys.
Olly Clarke followed his match winning display for Oxfordshire against Wales by helping Banbury defeat hosts Tring Park by 77 runs.
The left-arm spinner captured 4-20 as the home side were dismissed for 133, the only resistance coming from David Brent (50). This was in reply to Banbury’s 210 all out, in which No 10 Ollie Wright top-scored with 34 not out.
Tom Cosford lit up Horspath’s rain-affected draw at home to Finchampstead by smashing 69 not out from 48 balls as they recovered from 145-5 to 231-9, with their innings reduced to 58 overs following showers.
Earlier, opener Tom Coleman made 39 and Will Hawtin weighed in with 38, while spinners Josh Lincoln (5-24) and Adam Dewes (3-43) shone for Finchampstead.
The visitors had reached 92-1 at tea when a downpour brought about a lengthy delay, reducing the innings from 50 to 44 overs.
When play resumed only a further seven overs had been bowled before another deluge washed out play with Finchampstead on 107-2.
Great & Little Tew moved right back in the Division 2 promotion race with a stunning 147-run victory at home to contenders Datchet.
After recovering from 79-5 to reach 187-8, Tew then shot out the powerful visitors for just 40.
The hosts got off to a flying start after deciding to bat, as openers Harry Smith and Robbie Catling added 56.
They then lost five wickets for 23, before Tom Price made an unbeaten 73 from 126 with nine fours to lift them 187-8.
Lawrence Brock and Joe Thomas caused mayhem as the visitors’ strong batting line-up capitulated.
Seamer Brock took 5-26, and spinner Thomas 3-10, before Price completed a memorable game by blasting out the final two wickets.
A sparkling half-century from Jason Hunt helped Shipton-under-Wychwood salvage a draw at home to Burnham.
The visitors rattled up 276-6 in 57 overs led by Omar Siddique’s unbeaten 97.
Shipton never looked like getting close and were staring defeat in the face at 131-6.
But Hunt scored 60 from 57 balls, to take them to 218-7 at the close.
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