Division 1

BANBURY held their nerve to clinch a tense one-wicket win over visitors Finchampstead on Saturday.

The hosts produced a good display with the ball to dismiss their rivals for 156 in the 62nd over.

Joe Thomas (3-47) led the way, with David Whiteley (2-15) and Rchard West (2-29) also starring.

Lloyd Sabin and Olly Clarke fell cheaply, but at 83-2 and 113-3 Banbury were in control.

However, a middle-order wobble gave Finchampstead a glimmer of hope.

But Charlie Hill saw them home in the 48th over with an unbeaten 18.

Joe White top-scored with 49 for Banbury.

Aston Rowant came close to pulling off a superb run chase in their game with High Wycombe.

Although Wes Morrick made an early breakthrough, a second-wicket stand of 196 between Ed Casterton (115) and Dan Marles (103no) helped Wycombe declare on 276-5 after 61 overs.

Tom Condon (53) and George Reid (51) put on 88 for the opening wicket in reply as Rowant’s top-order edged their side towards their total.

Chris Watling led the way with 57, but when he fell and Leo Bethell was dismissed after a quickfire 26, Rowant ended up just short at 271-8.

Horspath’s Darryl Brown and Dominic O’Connor hit

half-centuries, but could not prevent an eight-wicket defeat at Division 1 leaders Henley.

Brown made 89 from 134 balls with ten fours and a six, while O’Connor struck a patient 58 off 152 deliveries as Horspath posted 227-5 after electing to bat.

The pair shared a

third-wicket stand of 90 after Horspath had been in trouble at 28-2, before Stephen Green weighed in with 41.

However, on a benign pitch it proved a below-par total as Henley coasted to 231-2 with opener Matt Rowe compiling an unbeaten 103 from 171 deliveries with 13 fours.

He put on an unbroken 144 for the third wicket with Richard Morris, who cracked an unbeaten 71 off 73 balls.

Division 2

A SUPERB spell from Shami Mendis gave Oxford a 53-run victory over Oxford Downs.

They are now 23 points clear of second-placed Thame Town, with a further ten back to Harefield.

The table-toppers got off to a good start having chosen to bat first at Jordan Hill, openers Jamie Perkin (47) and Harvey Eltham (46) putting on 94.

However, they then lost four wickets for nine runs and only Owyn Tong-Jones (27) got going as Oxford limped to 180-9.

They quickly reduced Downs to 22-3, before Mendis then gradually worked his way through the middle order.

Despite the efforts of James Ellwood, who scored 33, Mendis returned 5-16 off 13 tight overs to steer his side to a comfortable victory.

Callum Russell led Thame to a third straight win with a classy century in their

six-wicket win over Harefield.

Faisal Ali took the opening four wickets in his 4-24 off 13 overs as Thame bowled out their rivals for 182.

Will Sutcliffe was dismissed off the very first ball of Thame’s reply, but that only brought Russell to the crease.

His unbeaten 117 came off 183 balls and included 14 fours as Thame got home in the 51st over, Hassam Mushtaq providing fine support with 44 not out.