MP Cherwell League - Division 1

Great & Little Tew beat Oxford Downs by one wicket in a thrilling finish to their clash on Saturday.

Put into bat, Downs compiled a competitive 190-7, in which Darryl Woods hit a patient 71 and Tim Hardy 46, while Anthony Smith took 3-61.

Tew kept up with the required rate, thanks in the main to Harry Smith’s 65 and useful knocks of 31 apiece by Dave Powles and Lloyd Brock.

Medium pacer Simon Launder took 4-49 to keep both sides in the hunt, before Tew prevailed by the narrowest of margins.

Downs were docked one point for their slow over rate.

Gt & Little Tew 25pts, Oxford Downs 11

Simon Hole scored a highly impressive 121 and Charlie Brain 95 as Shipton-under-Wychwood amassed 310-6 dec at home to Cumnor.

The visitors had elected to bowl first, but none of their attack could make any inroads, although Adam Cook persevered for 3-89.

Cook then hit 38 in Cumnor’s reply, while James Douglas (45) and James Neilson (36) also made starts, but Chris Panter took 3-25 and the other batsmen offered little as they were all out for 202.

Shipton-under-Wychwood 25, Cumnor 6

Horspath set out their title credentials by travelling to likely challengers Buckingham Town and returning with all the spoils.

Town had posted 234-6 after being asked to bat first, Rob Large hitting 82 and Leigh Tomlinson 67.

The visitors’ off spinner Paul Jeacock took 4-75 and then watched Chris Penner bludgeon 54 to set up his side’s run chase.

Vishal Valambhia (3-83) made Horspath work hard for their win, but skipper Robbie Eason was unbeaten on 90 when victory was achieved with six wickets down in the 56th over.

Buckingham Town 10, Horspath 25

Ian Demain hit 110 as Challow & Childrey racked up 274-7 at home to Bletchley Town, but his side could not pull off the win.

Four of Challow’s top five got going after they chose to bat, with opener Owen Dimbylow hitting 34, Nigel Hill 31 and then Rob Owen 39. A late flurry of wickets brought Wasim Fayyaz 5-43.

Town’s reply was built around an unbeaten 72 by Tom Jaraslafsky, and his side maintained an outside chance of winning while he was with Amir Hussain (55).

But once he went the visitors settled for a draw on 229-8.

Challow & Childrey 16, Bletchley Tn 10

Bourton Vale beat Oxford 2nd by one wicket in a tense finish to maintain their winning start.

Ryan Newhook (5-49) and Ryan Hill (4-34) combined to good effect to dismiss Oxford for 158. Dan King followed his century on the opening day with a useful 56.

Richard Beer then took 3-43 and Brad Sutherland 3-56 to have Vale in trouble.

But Jaimie Noble’s 52 and a few lusty blows from the tail took the visitors to 160-9.

Oxford 2nd 11, Bourton Vale 25