A STERLING half-century by Lloyd Brock ensured that Great & Little Tew were able to escape with a draw in their rain-ruined Home Counties Premier League Division 1 match at home to Burnham.

The visitors, bottom of the table by a long way following their 60-point deduction for ill-discipline, inserted the hosts and looked as though they could pull off a victory before the rain intervened.

Tew collapsed to 57-7. The bowling of Mohammad Haroon and Raminder Singh proved too much for the early order, with only skipper Harry Smith and Jordan Garrett reaching double figures.

Brock, going in at six, halted the slide in a dogged eighth-wicket partnership of 39, before Joe Thomas fell at Adnan Malik for 12.

Brock, who finished with 58 not out from 85 balls, was then joined by his brother Lawrence, who helped Tew reach 126-8 from 38.5 overs when the game was washed out.

Haroon finished with 5-75 fr Burnham, wo shared the points with e hosts.

Horspath saw second-placed Finchampstead reach 152-0 after putting the visitors in to bat before rain washed out their Division 1 game.

Andrew House had made an unbeaten 84 from 71 balls with three sixes and ten fours, while Adam Dewes was 59 not out off 119 deliveries with eight boundaries when the game was abandoned.

Despite overnight rain, sterling work by the ground staff ensured the game started on time.

However, only 11 overs had been bowled with Finchampstead reaching 41-0 when a downpour led to a break in play.

On the resumption, House and Dewes carried on where they had left off to take the reigning champions to lunch at 88-0.

They increased the tempo after the interval, but when heavy rain set in again the match was abandoned.

Oxford progressed to 87-2 from 31 overs before their game at home to Slough came to a halt.

Choosing to bat first, Oxford lost both openers cheaply as they slipped to 11-2 and must have been regretting their decision.

But Jamie Perkin (39no) and Muhammad Ayub (35no) steadied the ship before the rain intervened.

Only 9.5 overs were possible at Henley, where the hosts made 28-2 after being put in by Banbury, both wickets falling to Aizaz Cheema.

The heavy rain that ruined Saturday’s league programme, almost certainly cost Shipton-under-Wychwood victory.

The west Oxfordshire side had their Division 2 opponents reeling at 70-8 when the weather intervened.

After a slow start to the campaign, Shipton have been boosted by the superb form of star all-rounder Anupam Sanklecha, who has already recorded two eight-wicket returns.

The Indian was at his best against Chesham after skipper Charlie Brain won an important toss and chose to field in bowler -friendly conditions.

Sanklecha and his improving new-ball partner Scott Harris (3-22) soon had the hosts reeling at 22-4 with two wickets apiece.

The duo continued to reek havoc and at 36-6, there was a chance that the game could be over by lunch.

However, wicket-keeper Robin Pritchard and Dominic Goodman put on 22 for their seventh wicket, before Sanklecha struck twice in three balls to finish with 5-42 from 13 overs.

With the rain clouds gathering, Shipton were unable to strike again and a relieved Chesham were on 70-8 when the rain washed out play.

Thame Town, in contrast, enjoyed a fruitful time after being put in to bat at home to Amersham.

Although opener Will Sutcliffe departed for ten, the hosts went along at nearly four an over in the awkward conditions.

Callum Russell thrived with an unbeaten 38 from 59 balls, with one six and three fours, while Gamindu Kanishka was just warming up when rain called a halt with the hosts on 72-1 after 17 overs.

Leaders Aston Rowant’s game at Harefield was washed out.

HORSPATH’S hopes of becoming the Home Counties League’s T20 champions were dashed at the semi-final stage at Burnham yesterday

Due to one pitch being unplayable, the games were reduced to ten overs per side.

Opponents Harefield chose to bat and were indebted to a spectacular innings from Dan Ogden, who helped them reach 82-5.

Ogden smashed an unbeaten 69, wth five sixes and two fours from his 38-ball stay.

The only Horspath bowler to escape punishment was left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher who took 1-7 from his two overs.

Horspath managed just 68-6 in reply after a bright start.

Henley defeated Harefield in the final to claim the trophy.