JOE Thomas put Oxford in a spin with an eight-wicket haul as Great & Little Tew forced a draw at Jordan Hill in the Home Counties Premier League.

The spinner’s exploits helped dismiss the hosts for 210 in the Division 1 clash, before the west Oxfordshire side batted out on 143-8 from 57 overs.

Oxford started strongly after electing to bat, openers Owyn Tong-Jones (42) and Harvey Eltham putting on 74.

They went on to lose regular wickets, thanks to Thomas, who took 8-51 in 22.3 overs, as Jamie Perkin (45) was the only other batsman to score more than 40.

Oxford spinner Chris Humphreys took 5-28 as Tew slipped to 111-8.

But Andy Harris and Robbie Catling dug deep to earn the visitors a draw.

Banbury fell to a three-wicket defeat in a high-scoring encounter at champions Finchampstead.

Captain Lloyd Sabin led the way, hitting 84 off 110 balls, which included five fours and three sixes, as the north Oxfordshire side posted 274-8 from 64 overs.

Sabin also starred with the ball, taking 4-31.

But Finchampstead were in control, thanks to first and second-wicket partnerships of 73 and 90, before chasing down their target with an over to spare.

Andrew House smashed 96 off 95 deliveries, including 11 fours and two sixes.

Horspath fought back to get the better of a draw in a fluctuating clash at Slough.

Defending 223-9 after being put in to bat, the visitors looked to be up against it when the hosts reached 170-4.

But Lloyd Belcher bowled opener Shazad Rana, who had made a patient 53 from 132 balls with four boundaries, sparking a mini-collapse with four wickets going down for 11 runs as Horspath skipper Will Eason claimed three quick victims.

It left Slough to shut up shop and close on 197-8 with Zohaib Ahmed unbeaten on 44.

Captain Bobby Sher (35) and opener Fahim Qureshi (31) made solid contributions, while Eason finished with 4-43.

Earlier, Mark Jefferson (40) had top-scored for Horspath after steady knocks from Tom Coleman (35) and James Fitzjohn (31), while Stephen Green’s 37 ended in a surreal entry in the scorebook – caught and bowled by his Slough namesake Steven Green, who took 4-59.

Stephen Green’s lower-order partnerships with Jehan Mohammed, a late call-up following Harrison Ward’s withdrawal, and Ian Slatcher ensured Horspath posted a challenging total.

ANUPAM Sanklecha picked up an amazing eight wickets but could not prevent Shipton-under-Wychwood falling to a narrow defeat at home to Buckingham Town.

The Indian all-rounder took 8-62 in 19 overs, but the visitors squeezed home in the 46th over to claim a one-wicket victory.

Shipton won the toss and elected to bat, posting 184 from their 58 overs, which included a third-wicket partnership of 61 between Simon Hole (72) and Sanklecha.

Buckingham looked in good shape at 132-5, before slipping to 153-8 as Sanklecha took centre stage with the ball.

But the visitors did just enough to claim victory with a wicket to spare.

High-flying Aston Rowant wasted little time in racing to a ten-wicket victory at home to struggling Reading in Division 2.

Leo Bethell took 5-25 and Wes Morrick 4-22 as Josh Smith’s side skittled the league’s basement boys for just 74 in 31.5 overs.

Rowant took no time at all to secure victory, Tom Condon (39no) and Alex Jewell (35no) hitting 16 boundaries between them as the hosts reached their target in 7.3 overs, securing victory before 3pm.

Thame Town returned to winning ways and moved up to third in the table with a dominant 104-run victory at Chesham.

After electing to bat, the Oxfordshire side recovered from a shaky start to post 203-8 from 58 overs.

James Adams led the way with an unbeaten 60.

Chesham started well but suffered a terrible collapse at 57-3, losing seven wickets for 42 runs.

Three wickets apiece for Adam Phippen (3-13), Will Rooney (3-17) and Chris Jeffcock (3-20) saw Thame dismiss their hosts for 99 in the 30th over.