Division 2

THAME Town are the new leaders after an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Chesham.

Their success, coupled with Oxford’s failure to beat Wokingham, sees Thame move six points clear at the top.

Faisal Ali did the damage with the ball, ripping through the Chesham top order to finish with 5-36 from 14 overs as the visitors, who were put in to bat, were all out for 128 in the 35th over.

Thame eased home, Olliver Ebsworth-Burland unbeaten on 74 as they passed their target in the 25th over.

A batting collapse saw Oxford settle for a draw at Wokingham.

After restricting the hosts to 186-8, Oxford fell from 35-0 to 46-4 in reply.

Only Robert Craze (50) got going as they ended on 122-8.

Oxford Downs were grateful to their lower order after drawing with Amersham.

The visitors were in deep trouble on 108-7 before Richard Sillars (75) and Tom Costley (41) helped them to 189-8.

Sillars took the first two wickets and Lawrence Brock then claimed 3-38 as Amersham ended on 138-6 in a game shortened by the rain.

Division 1

HORSPATH remain deep in relegation trouble following a two-wicket defeat at home to Buckingham Town in a last-ball thriller.

Having been put in to bat, the hosts posted 203 all out from their allotted 58 overs, which had been reduced due to three rain breaks.

Tom Coleman (67) and opener Dominic O’Connor (56) shared a second-wicket stand of 99 before Will Hawtin propelled Horspath to their final total with an unbeaten 41 off 37 balls.

Ambidextrous Sri Lankan Tharindu Rathnayaka bowled both left and right-arm spin to take 5-46, while left-arm spinner Jack Deal picked up 4-59.

Buckingham, whose overs were cut to 50, slumped to 70-5 after opener Leigh Tomlinson made 39, but then Oxfordshire captain Jonny Cater (73no) added 74 for the sixth wicket with Rathnayaka (30).

At 154-7, Horspath were still in the hunt with Lloyd Belcher (3-55) leading the way and they bowled five extra overs before the close in a bid to force victory only for Cater and Deal to put on 46 for the eighth wicket.

With the scores level, Oxfordshire skipper Jonny Cater hit the last ball through mid-wicket for four to see Buckingham home at 207-8.

Despite the loss, Horspath moved off the bottom with Slough hammered at Aston Rowant, but are 13 points off eighth-placed Tring Park.

Rowant eased to a six-wicket win with Leo Bethell (5-35) and Wes Morrick (3-27) bowling out their rivals for 79.

Josh Smith then hit an unbeaten 54 as Rowant got home in the 16th over.

Rowant are now just seven points behind third-placed Banbury, who could only draw against struggling Tring Park.

Richard West top-scored with 53 as Banbury recovered from 44-4 to post 167-7 off 52 overs.

The weather hindered Tring’s run chase, the hosts eventually reaching 128-5 off 33 overs.