Rameez Raja’s impressive debut helped Horspath to an exciting five-run victory on the Duckworth/Lewis method at home to arch rivals Oxford in their Division 2 opener.

The former Pakistan T20 international hit a classy 87 as Horspath recovered from a shaky start to make 260-8 off their 50 overs after electing to bat first.

And with Oxford then facing a revised target of 249 from 45 overs following a break in their innings for thunder and lightning, he took 4-55 as the visitors fell just short on 243 all out.

It was Oxford’s Scotland Twenty20 star George Munsey who was first to make an impact, reducing the hosts to 21-3 by removing Robbie Eason, Shahbaz Ali and Jimmy Phillips.

But Raja rebuilt the innings with 88-ball knock, which included five sixes and seven fours. He shared a fifth-wicket stand of 101 with Steve Green.

Adam Price ensured the innings finished with a flourish by smashing 51 off 30 deliveries with four sixes and four boundaries.

Munsey returned 4-36, but he fell early in Oxford’s reply, with Horspath skipper Will Eason taking 3-21 in an excellent opening spell to make it 60-3.

Raja then struck four times with his off-spin to leave the visitors 101-7.

But Mark Beer, whose 67 off 54 balls included five sixes and three fours, Ian Crosby and Harvey Eltham kept Oxford’s hopes alive.

Needing ten to win off the final over bowled by Jamil Faruq with the last pair at the crease, Eltham fell to a low tumbling catch by Price on the mid-wicket boundary off the penultimate delivery.

 Oxford A superb century from Miles Hammond was the feature of Aston Rowant’s 108-run win at home to Amersham.

Hammond hit 118 off 117 balls with 15 fours as Rowant rattled up a massive 323-8 from their 50 overs.

Josh Smith and Tom Condon (62 off 52 balls) added rapid half-centuries.

Despite 50s from Bruce Friedrichs and Andrew Viney, Amersham managed only 215 in reply off 39 overs. Left-arm spinner Sacha Barras took 3-35.

Spinner Michael Higgs starred as Thame Town made a winning return to the lead when beating visitors Gerrards Cross by 80 runs.

Michael Beard top-scored with 49 from 80 balls as Thame made 225-8 from their 50 overs.

Higgs returned 5-28 as Cross slumped to 145 all out in 38.2 overs.

Shipton-under-Wychwood could not press home a winning position as they lost by three wickets to Buckingham Town.

Craig Wood (63) helped Shipton recover from 92-6 to 190 all out in 49.2 overs.

Buckingham then slumped to 93-6, but an unbeaten 55 from Jack Parish guided them home with 5.4 overs to spare.