Substitute fielder Arthur Beard took a matchwinning catch to help Abingdon Vale to a 41-run success at home to Sandford St Martin in Cherwell League Division 2.

Beard, fielding for the injured Paul White, took a diving low catch at mid-off to seal victory as time was running out.

Earlier, Amith Premkumar had hit 62 to help Vale to 205 all out, although the hosts were indebted to White and Luke Mitchell, who shared a quickfire lastwicket stand of 33.

It was while White was batting that he injured a hamstring, and Beard, who had been playing on the adjacent pitch for the third team, stepped in to field.

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Despite 57 from Kris Jones, Sandford lost regular wickets, as off spinner Jonathan Jenkinson took 7-51 in 16 overs.

But with four overs and two balls remaining, youngster Beard was the Vale hero with his spectacular catch.

Abingdon Vale 25pts, Sandford St Martin 8

Horspath 2nd had to cling on for a draw at Didcot.

Ian Demain (92) led the way as Didcot amassed 262-7 in their 53 overs, while Shaun Birmingham chipped in with 57.

Led by Shahbaz Ali (64), Horspath were on track, but a cluster of wickets saw them shutting up shop to end on 237-9.

Didcot 19, Horspath 9

Oxford Downs recovered from 31-5 to secure victory against visitors Aston Rowant 2nd.

Rowant were restricted to 211-9 from their 53 overs as Johnny Law took 4-50. Chris Eaton (62) top-scored for Rowant.

Downs got off to a dreadful start in their reply, but a terrific stand of 105 between Amin Rafiq (89no) and Wasim Mehmood (51) helped Downs edge home at 215-8 with seven balls to spare.

Oxford Downs 25, A Rowant 2nd 12

Challow & Childrey skittled hosts Bledlow Village for 45 on the way to an emphatic eightwicket success.

Olly Dimbylow took 6-17 and Conor Jones 4-20 as Challow ripped through Bledlow, before getting home in just 11 overs.

Bledlow Village 2, Challow 25 Pablo Mukherjee scored a majestic century, but Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts finished just short in a drawn clash away to Great & Little Tew 2nd.

Tew declared in the 50th over after posting 232-6.

Mukherjee then hit 101 for Nondies, while Chris Day struck 41 and Aadam Samiullah 36.

But despite this, the visitors could not reach the total, closing on 224-7.

Gt Tew 2nd 15, Ox & B Nondies 10

A brilliant seven-wicket haul from Cumnor’s James Curtis was not enough to force victory away to Banbury 2nd in Division 1.

He returned figures of 7-43 from 14 overs as Banbury were dismissed for 200, Olly Clarke top-scoring with 67.

However, Cumnor struggled in reply, as Clarke took 4-9, but they dug in for a draw at 196-9.

Banbury 2nd 17pts, Cumnor 11 

A super all-round display from Mark Beer proved in vain as Oxford 2nd fell to a two-wicket defeat at home to leaders Thame Town.

Oxford had no hesitation in opting to bat, but were restricted to 208-9 in their 53 overs as Mike Higgs took 3-50.

John Barrett top-scored with 65 for Oxford, while Beer hit 44.

Beer then took 5-47, but knocks from Jarred McPhee (64) and Hassan Mushtaq (61) led Thame to 211-8 in the 45th over.

Oxford 2nd 12, Thame Tn 25 

Twyford had to settle for a draw at home to Long Marston.

Batting first, Twyford were bowled out for 221 as Bilal Afzal hit 64, Shahid Mahmood 56 and Tanveer Nadeem 30.

Lee Beesley took 4-58 and Alastair Bee 3-55.

Mike Lyons made 43 and Sam Bastin hit 31 lto lead Marston’s reply, before they held on for a draw at 191-8.

Twyford 18pts, Long Marston 10 

Fine half-centuries from Nick Pykett and Chris Goodman helped steer Tiddington to an 81-run victory at home to Wolverton Town.

Pykett made 82 and Goodman hit 72 as Tiddington reached 227-9.

Wolverton were then dismissed for 146, Sam Hollingshead taking 4-32.

Tiddington 25, Wolverton 6

Lee Selfe took 8-63 as Leighton Buzzard Town beat Great Brickhill by 86 runs.

Antony Francis hit 88 as the hosts posted 293-8. Ahad Khan took 4-74 and James Clark 3-82.

Selfe then took over as Brickhill fell for 207.

L Buzzard Tn 25, Gt Brickhill 7 

Bicester & North Oxford were plunged into the Division 3 relegation zone as they suffered a 129-run hammering at home to Horley on Saturday.

It was only Horley’s second win of the season to ease their relegation fears, but Bicester look set for a struggle to survive in the second half of the campaign.

Bicester won the toss and elected to field first, but they were soon made to regret that decision as the visitors racked up the runs.

Horley skipper David Taylor led the way with a super knock of 80, while Andrew Parker chipped in with 57 and David Clark 31.

Leg spinner Richard Simpson took four wickets for Bicester, but his economy rate left a lot to be desired as the Horley batsmen tucked in, taking 105 runs off Simpson’s 17 overs.

Youngster Jack Hobbs was the pick of the Bicester bowlers with 4-40 from ten overs.

Horley declared on 264-9 in the 48th over to give themselves plenty of time to bowl their hosts out.

But they didn’t need many overs to do just that as they skittled a youthful Bicester side out for 135 in the 36th over.

Dave Eaton returned figures of 5-20 from nine overs, while Jonathan Hart took 4-39 in 11 overs.

The defeat plunged Bicester into the drop zone, while Horley moved up to seventh.

Jason Hunt claimed six wickets to help Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd to victory at Buckingham Town 2nd.

After being inserted, Buckingham got off to a solid start as Tim Riley (43) and Michael Taylor shared 51 for the first wicket.

But it was the introduction of Hunt that turned the match in Shipton’s favour as he returned superb figures of 6-24 in 15 overs to dismiss Buckingham for 128.

There were some anxious moments in Shipton’s runchase – who slumped to 81-6.

But the visitors held their nerve to reach 129-7 in the 41st over to wrap up a threewicket victory.

Buckingham 2nd 8, Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd 25 Cropredy stretched their lead with a comprehensive 88-run victory over title rivals Blewbury & Wallingford.

Winning the toss, Cropredy batted first and racked up 247-9 in their 53 overs as Matt Walmesley-Pace hit 67 and Eli Heath 46, while Mark Carey claimed 5-52 for Blewbury.

In reply, the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals to fall to 159 all out.

Cropredy 25pts, Blewbury & Wallingford 6

James Risbridger took 4-20 to help Banbury 3rd romp to an eight-wicket victory at home to Oxford Downs 2nd.

Risbridger, Ollie Murrey (3-30) and Ross Freeman (3-6) combined to skittle Downs for a paltry 64, and then Anas Ahmed struck 32 not out to steer Banbury to victory in the 13th over.

Banbury 3rd 25, Ox Downs 2nd 2

Cublington saw off hosts Dinton 2nd by three wickets.

Ollie Fairhurst claimed 4-38 as Cublington dismissed Dinton for 183 in 33 overs.

Led by Sam Carter (60), Cublington reached 184-7 in the 63rd over to seal a threewicket win.

Dinton 2nd 10, Cublington 25

Division 4 leaders Tiddington 2nd crashed to their first defeat of the season as Chearsley put them to the sword.

Will Sawrey-Cookson (69) led the hosts to 226 all out in their 53 overs, while Luke Hurley took 4-61 and Neil Smith 3-41 for Tiddington.

The visitors were never in the hunt as they slumped to 113 all out in their reply, despite 42 from Smith.

Edward Holland was chief destroyer as he claimed 5-21 for the home side.

Chearsley 25pts, Tiddington 2nd 6

Kingston Bagpuize prop up the table after their four wicket defeat at home to Stokenchurch.

Paul Temple hit 52 to help the hosts to 196-9.

Dick Giles took 4-42 for Kingston in Stokenchurch’s reply, but, helped by 90 not out from Paul Maddock, the visitors reached 198-6 in the 44th over to wrap up victory.

Kingston Bagpuize 10, Stokenchurch 25

Witney Mills’s promotion hopes suffered a setback as they fell to a five-wicket defeat at home to Kimble.

Phil Semmens took 6-37 as Kimble dismissed Mills for 149, before Steven Richards hit 56 as Kimble eased home in the 39th over.

Witney Mills 7, Kimble 25 Bletchley Town edged to a two-wicket win at Brackley.

Ricardo Brown took 3-27 to help dismiss the home side for 127, before Bletchley got to 130-8, thanks to Ben Talbot (48) and Kieran Turner (41).

Brackley 9, Bletchley Tn 25

Great Brickhill 2nd were another side to edge home by two wickets as they saw off hosts Leighton Buzzard Town in a low-scoring clash.

Drew Burrows took 4-14 and Hamid Miah 3-21 to dismiss Buzzard for only 125, Mark Burfoot hitting 47.

The visitors just managed to reach the target and keep up their promotion bid.

Leighton Buzzard Town 2nd 9, Gt Brickhill 2nd 25

Twyford 2nd stunned hosts Long Marston 2nd with an incredible ten-wicket victory in Division 5.

The home side would have been satisfied with 253 all out, Hamish Sim hitting 56 and Paul Young 48.

But Twyford raced to victory in just 32 overs as James Gaskins (168no) and Ben Elkington (70no) shared a 256-run stand to secure a sensational win.

Long Marston 2nd 5pts, Twyford 2nd 25

East Oxford went top after seeing off hosts Aston Rowant 3rd by five wickets.

Rowant posted 195-9 as Hendrick Robyns hit 70 and Lewis Quainton 32. Atif Ali took 5-39 for East Oxford.

Robyns then claimed 3-43, but East Oxford got home thanks to 71 from Amir Butt.

A Rowant 3rd 9, East Oxford 25

Oxford 3rd had to settle for a draw against Cumnor 2nd.

Chetan Walia top-scored with 71, while Kashif Hafeez hit 46 as Oxford scored 271.

Mark Kirsten (62no) led Cumnor’s reply, while Tom Powell (44no) and Jamie Douglas (36) also shone.

Dan Khan took 4-54, but Cumnor held out at 218-6.

Oxford 3rd 17, Cumnor 2nd 9

Abingdon Vale 2nd denied hosts Horspath 3rd victory in their mid-table clash.

Craig Wharton (59) and Dan Todd (45) led Horspath to 219 all out, Paul Butcher taking 4-41 and Matt Butcher 3-49.

Paul Butcher completed a fine all-round performance with 69 not out in Vale’s reply as they closed on 167-7.

Horspath 3rd 16, Abingdon 2nd 8

Thame Town 2nd slipped to a four-wicket defeat at home to Bledlow Ridge in a finalball thriller.

Thame rattled up 235-7 as Ben Warwick struck 62 and Guy Holmes 40.

But 75 from Rory Spiers and 53 not out from Stephen Bird saw Bledlow home off the very last delivery.

Thame Tn 2nd 11, Bledlow Ridge 25

Dan Campbell’s 110 proved in vain as Horley 2nd had to settle for a draw at home to Didcot 2nd in Division 6.

Campbell’s ton, plus 50 from Steve Palmer helped Horley to rack up a massive 302-8 declared.

But Didcot stubbornly resisted all the home side could throw at them as they closed on 222-6, despite the best efforts of Steve Palmer (4-99).

Sandford St Martin 2nd were also scuppered by a resolute Wolverton 2nd after racking up more than 300.

Scott Reynolds (83), Colin Simpson (75) and Danny Smith (68) shone in Sandford’s 301-7.

Wolverton clung on for a draw at 173-9.

A six-wicket haul from Patrick Somerton helped Cropredy 2nd to a crushing seven-wicket win at Oxford 4th in Division 7.

Somerton took 6-35 as Oxford were shot out for 141, before Altaf Hussain hit 40 not out to steer Cropredy home at 144-3.

In Division 9, Justin Parker’s century helped Great & Little Tew 4th to a five-wicket victory at home to Kimble 2nd.

The visitors set 209-8 from their 45 overs, Ken Shurmer taking 3-35 for Tew.

Parker then smashed 104 and Alex Kelly 56 to steer Tew home at 213-5 with almost five overs to spare.