HASAM Mushtaq hammered 157 as Thame Town racked up 314-9 before declaring in a high-scoring Division 1 affair at Great Brickhill.

Mushtaq was ably supported by James Crichton, who hit an admirable 63, while Julian Blackwell toiled away to finish with 3-84.

Brickhill had a real go after tea, Michael Baker firing 101 and Anton de Beer making 61, but Will Rooney (4-59) and Michael Higgs (3-96) left them on 296-8 at the close.

  •  Great Brickhill 11pts, Thame Town 16

Cumnor all-rounder Ali Morteza produced an inspired spell to all but secure his side’s first win of the season.

Morteza finished with 5-29 from 17 overs as Cumnor dominated their clash with Oxford 2nd, who had started the day top of the league.

Put in to bat, the home side lost opener Joseph Dale early, but then put together a series of mini-partnerships that suggested they could post a large total.

Jamie Douglas top-scored with 35, and four others got starts, before a late slump at the hands of Aussie left-arm seamer Adam Price (5-27) and Kasim Nawaz (3-38) saw them fall away to 183 all out.

Cumnor’s collapse left Oxford with 54 overs to chase victory, and opener Adam Hall (37) got them off to a decent start.

But Morteza put the hosts back in command and it was left to Harvey Eltham (37no) to marshal the tail as Oxford clung on for a draw at 147-9.

Cumnor have struggled since returning to the top flight, but will take heart from this performance.

All they need now is to rediscover how to win.

Cumnor 18pts, Oxford 2nd 7

 

Oxford Mail:

Tim Sutton (centre) takes the congratulations of his teammates after catching Cumnor batsman Ali Morteza

Tiddington enjoyed their first win in the top flight after Tom Rowley hit an impressive 101 at Wolverton Town.

Winning the toss, the visitors made their way to 202-7 from their 53 overs, with Zahoor Malik (3-31) proving the best of the home bowlers.

The visitors’ attack then ripped through the Town line-up, with Matthew Johnson taking 4-8 and Matt Maule claiming 4-49.

  • Wolverton Town 4, Tiddington 25

Oxford Downs slip to the bottom after Banbury 2nd timed their run chase to perfection.

Downs had posted 183-8 thanks initially to Will Watts (32) and then Darryl Woods (46no).

Charlie Hill hit a perfectly paced 72 not out as Banbury reached 185-6 with eight balls to spare.

Steve Beck contributed a useful 34, while Wasim Mehmood’s 3-46 ultimately proved in vain.

  • Oxford Downs 9, Banbury 2nd 25

Twyford struggled to 126 all out at Buckingham Town, who never looked back after winning the toss and electing to field first.

Jack Parish picked up 4-35 as only Tanveer Hussain (35) made much headway with the bat.

Spinner Bilal Afzal (3-49) enjoyed some success after the interval, but only one other wicket fell as Callum Price plundered 77 not out to see Town to 130-4 and maximum points.

  • Buckingham Town 25, Twyford 5

A fine all-round display by Ryan Gordon helped Challow & Childrey see off Cropredy in Division 2.

First, he led the way with the ball, taking 3-14 as the visitors were rolled over for 132 after electing to bat.

Ed Somerton dug in to make 44, while the other wickets were shared between Joe Harris (3-20) and Olly Dimbylow (3-40).

Gordon (63) then held together the hosts’ reply, and with Justin Penrose (35) set up a five-wicket win.

  • Challow & Childrey 25pts, Cropredy 7

Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts’ winning start came to a shuddering halt when they lost heavily to Long Marston.

JP Engelbrecht (4-36), Pete Toovey (3-24) and Jack Doodson (3-30) were too good for Nondies, who subsided to 133 all out after being inserted.

Marston wasted little time reaching 137-2, with Adam Ward hitting 37 and James Beesley 87 not out at the close.

  • Oxford & Bletch Nondescripts 4, Long Marston 25

Leighton Buzzard Town are now top as they made light work of Aston Rowant 2nd.

Tom Light took 5-50 to reduce Rowant to 159 all out, of which Leigh Lewis made 32.

Phil Whatmore’s excellent season continued as he hit an unbeaten 63 in Town’s 161-3 from 36.4 overs.

  • Aston Rowant 2nd 5, Leighton Buzzard Town 25

Greg Jenkins took 5-30 and hit 71 but still finished on the losing side as Cublington returned empty-handed from Bledlow Village.

Will Woodward (47) and Adam Mould (36) were the mainstays of the home side’s 172 all out, Jenkins being well supported by Kieron Sear (4-49).

Ben Moore then took 4-46 and Matt Bolton claimed 3-28 as the visitors – Jenkins aside – were blown away for 138.

  • Bledlow Village 25, Cublington 7

Abingdon Vale’s problems show no sign of improving as they lost by four wickets at Horspath 2nd and remain rooted to the foot of the table.

The visitors made just 101 all out and although their bowlers gave them hope of a shock win, the hosts got home for a four-wicket success.

  • Horspath 2nd 25, Abingdon Vale 7

Sandford St Martin went top of Division 3 after ending Bicester & North Oxford’s unbeaten start to the season.

Martin Anson took 4-21 as Bicester crawled to 124-7 from their full allocation of 53 overs. Matt Collins top-scored with 43.

Tom Goffe (42), Grant Phillips-Tebb (40) and Tim Lowe (31no) then steered Sandford to 130-2.

Sandford St Martin 25pts, Bicester & North Oxford 3

Oxford Mail:

Jamie Douglas takes a blow during Cumnor's match with Oxford 2nd

Oxford Downs 2nd lost top spot after being given the runaround by Dinton 2nd.

Neil Roberts hit 102 and Will Ebsworth contributed 36 in the home side’s 254 all out, which might have been even more imposing had Jak Soppett not taken 4-57.

Mike Green (4-47) and Ebsworth (3-15) then forced Downs to hang on for a draw at 130-8.

Dinton 2nd 19, Oxford Downs 2nd 7

Didcot 2nd’s match with Buckingham Town 2nd followed a similar pattern.

The home side racked up 225-5 from 49 overs through Shaun Burningham (64), Henry Brisland (42), Ian Demain (34) and Sam Couldrick (33no).

They were then unable to force the win as Town crept to 89-8 from their 43 overs, Robert Keat taking 3-9.

  • Didcot 19, Buckingham Town 2nd 2

Robby Taylor took 6-26 and Joe Thomas 3-10 as Great & Little Tew 2nd bulldozered basement boys Bletchley Town for 73.

Earlier, Tew had batted rather better, with Robbie Catling (38) and Michael Darby (33) helping them reach 165.

Sam Newman took 5-53 and Ben Talbot picked up 3-13 for the hosts.

  • Bletchley Town 5, Great & Little Tew 2nd 25

Ed Smith smashed 86 and Tom Hill made 47, but the other Banbury 3rd batsmen only made 30 runs between them as they were bowled out for 171 at home to Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd.

Valentin Guiruad (3-40) and Jason Hunt (3-41) did most of the damage for Shipton, who reached 173-4 through Jeremy Kirby (92) and Shane Duff (30).

  • Banbury 3rd 7, Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd 25

Horley crushed East Oxford by nine wickets to go top of Division 4.

Dave Eaton (6-76) and Adam Webb (4-54) bowled un-changed and worked through the card as the visitors limped to 136 all out.

Only Manzoor Abbassi (35) put up much of a fight.

The loss of an early wicket only delayed the inevitable as Andrew Stanley (52no) and David Taylor (50no) blasted their way to 139-1.

  • Horley 25pts, East Oxford 3

Morning leaders Blewbury & Wallingford crashed to a shock defeat at previously-winless Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd.

Dave Roberts made 61 while Ben Denton took 4-43 in Town’s 215 all out.

Mark Carey (34) and Jamie Fraser (36no) were the only visiting batsmen to hang around for long as Riaan Krynauw (4-36) and Yogesh Mistry (3-31) bowled them out for 125.

  • Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd 25, Blewbury & Wallingford 6

Chaminda Wimalarathna took 5-25 and Isaac Claridge picked up 3-7 as Chearsley were blown away for only 63 by Witney Mills.

Earlier, Mills mustered 198-9 from their 53 overs, with Dan Swindells (54) and Sam Haselgrove (52) both in the runs. Edward Holland was the pick of the home attack, taking 4-27.

  • Chearsley 4, Witney Mills 25

Kingston Bagpuize beat Bledlow Ridge by one wicket in a thrilling finish.

Ridge chose to bat and made 188-8, the wickets being shared by youngster Matthew Warner (5-44) and the rather more experienced Richard Giles (3-49).

Kingston’s reply was built around Marco Cecchini’s 79, and they made it over the winning line by the narrowest of margins despite Joe Manion’s 5-46.

  • Kingston Bagpuize 25, Bledlow Ridge 11

Phil Semmens (4-41) and Adrian Rose (4-35) joined forces for Kimble, who reduced Great Brickhill 2nd to 157 all out.

They then watched Steven Richards (103no) and Ben Mooney (43no) knock off the required runs without loss.

  • Kimble 25, Great Brickhill 2nd 2

Off-spinner Callum Biel collected a hat-trick, but his Oxford 3rd side missed the chance to go top of Division 5 after being held to a draw by Stokenchurch.

Oxford had made 181-6 from 48 overs thanks to Bjorn Pedersen (64) and Miles Picknett (54).

Arshad Latif hit 49 to keep the visitors in it, but Biel ripped through the middle order to leave them hanging on at 130-8.

Biel and Mark Murfett both finished with 3-29.

  • Oxford 3rd 17pts, Stokenchurch 4

The Butcher family was almost entirely responsible for Abingdon Vale’s convincing home win over Cumnor 2nd at Hales Meadow.

In-form Chris Butcher hit 45 not out to steer his side to a six-wicket victory, just hours after his son Matthew (4-42) and brother Paul (4-14) had dismissed the visitors for 111 as Vale moved within touching distance of the leaders.

  • Abingdon Vale 2nd 25, Cumnor 2nd 5

Eric Carpenter was stranded on 98 not out when Brackley’s innings closed after 52 overs at Thame Town 2nd.

Town never threatened the visitors’ 198-7, crawling to 78-8 from 46 overs.

Matt Furness hung around to make 35, while Robert Cartwright claimed 4-22.

  • Thame Town 2nd 3, Brackley 18

Didcot 2nd stay bottom after losing heavily at Tiddington 2nd.

After a delayed start, Ben Smith took 3-30 to restrict the visitors to 122-8 from 42 overs, then Darren Risden stroked 31 in the home side’s 123-4.

  • Tiddington 2nd 25, Didcot 2nd 5

Tom Moore’s magnificent 140 and Matthew Tapping’s 58 saw Bledlow Village 2nd amass 331 before being bowled out by leaders Twyford 2nd.

Ian Perna (4-66) and Jason Heslington (3-59) paid heavily for their wickets.

Moore then took 4-71 as Twyford were dismissed for 227, with Sam Lyon undefeated on 43 at the close.

  • Twyford 2nd 6, Bledlow Village 2nd 25
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