BANBURY seamer Brad Taylor destroyed hosts Horspath with a devastating spell of 5-12 to secure a crushing 84-run victory in Division 1.

Defending 187-8 after being put in to bat, Banbury skittled Horspath for 103, with the Oxfordshire paceman’s ten-over opening burst ripping through the top order.

After former Horspath player Graham Beer had made the breakthrough by trapping Tom Coleman lbw, Taylor reduced the hosts to 35-5, with Robbie Eason, Stephen Green, Jimmy Phillips and debutant Will Robertson falling in quick succession.

He completed his five-wicket haul by having Jamil Faruq caught by skipper Lloyd Sabin.

Only stand-in captain Darryl Brown showed any resistance before he was the last man out, lbw to off-spinner Richard West (2-12) for 39 off 45 balls.

Earlier, Banbury had been in trouble themselves at 83-5 after the start was delayed half-an-hour due to a wet outfield.

West (43) and Shazad Rana led the fightback by putting on 50 for the sixth wicket, and with the lower order chipping in with valuable runs, Banbury were able to post a challenging total.

Brown returned figures of 3-47 for Horspath, but Faruq, who took 1-21 from ten accurate overs, was the pick of the home attack.

Oxford could not convert a winning position and ended up losing away to leaders High Wycombe by three wickets in a tight game.

After being put in, the visitors had to rely on consistent batting throughout to reach 200 all out on a slow pitch, opener Harvey Eltham top-scoring with 34.

Wycombe then slipped to 65-5, with Connor Kilpatrick picking up 3-26.

But an unbeaten 68 not out from wicket-keeper George Russell, with support from Adam Dobb and Conner Haddow, saw the hosts home with three wickets and 4.2 overs to spare.

Skipper Josh Smith starred as Aston Rowant returned to winning ways with a 58-run victory at Slough.

Smith slammed 96 off 116 balls, as the visitors scored 225-6 after being asked to bat first. He shared a third-wicket stand of 77 with George Reid (35).

Leo Bethell struck twice at the start of Slough’s reply, and apart from opener Fahim Qureshi, none of the home batsmen got going against Rowant’s tight bowling and they were all out for 167.

Spinner Adam Muttitt was the leading wicket-taker with 3-39.

After winning their opening game, Thame Town suffered their third successive defeat when they lost by six wickets away to Tring Park.

Only Gamindu Kanishka (34) of the top order could cope with the home attack after Thame had been put in to bat.

A late flourish from Michael Higgs took them into three figures, but they were dismissed for 124 in the 47th over.

The hosts slipped to 22-3, but an unbeaten 68 from opener Alex Woodland steered them home in the 41st over.

A brilliant all-round display by Anupam Sanklecha just failed to bring Shipton-under-Wychwood their first Division 2 victory of the season at home to Harefield.

The hosts must be kicking themselves after losing by 27 runs, having had their opponents in dire straits at 74-9.

But a half-century last-wicket stand from the visitors, and a late batting collapse when in sight of victory, means that Shipton have started with five straight defeats.

They appeared in command after giving Harefield first use of a wet pitch.

Sanklecha exploited the conditions superbly taking 5-26 in his ten-over spell.

With Scott Harris claiming three wickets, Harefield seemed doomed at 74-9.

But their last pair of Doug King and Jordan Mcleod, who top-scored with 35, put on 53 to lift them to 127 all out.

This seemed insufficient as Shipton reached 92-4 with Sanklecha at the crease.

However, the skipper was unable to engineer most of the strike as the final six wickets fell for just 11 runs.

He was the last man out for 32.

By contrast, Great & Little Tew continued their magnificent start to the season with a 76-run victory at home to Dinton to stay joint top of the table.

The hosts struggled to 172-9 after being put in to bat.

Skipper Harry Smith top-scored with 34, but it needed a late contribution from Joe White (32) and the same number of extras to give them a challenging total.

Dinton did not get close after being blown away by a brilliant opening spell from Lawrence Brock, who returned 5-24.

With spinner Joe Thomas taking 4-19 in ten tight overs, the visitors were dismissed for 96 in the 39th over.