RAIN once again had a major say as the programme was hit hard by wet weather and bad light on Saturday.

Only ten matches across the entire competition reached a conclusion, with every game in Tier 1 being washed out.

In Tier 1A, three matches did not even start, while Shipton-under-Wychwood’s clash with Cumnor was ended early.

Joint leaders Cumnor had batted first, posting 210-7 in 39 overs as Will Bull top-scored with 62.

With Shipton 16-1 in their reply, the rain brought an early end to the match.

Bledlow Village were 133-2 in 32 overs against high-flying Sandford St Martin before the match was called out, James Basu scoring 70 not out for the visitors.

In Tier 1B, only one match got under way, before the wet weather intervened.

Westbury 2nd were in dire trouble at 97-7 against hosts Banbury 2nd, for whom Ian Bryan had taken 3-10, before the match was called off.

In Tier 2A, Thame Town 2nd managed to complete their clash with visitors Witney Mills, finishing as 54-run winners to steal a march on their rivals by moving 32 points clear.

Thame set a useful total of 226-5 in a rain-reduced 38 overs, No 3 batsman Christian Warwick their top performer with 70 not out from 95 deliveries.

Mills never recovered from losing three early wickets, and despite 55 from Josh Garrett, they closed on

172-6 in their reply.

Elsewhere, Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts were 67-2 in 15.2 overs against East Oxford before the heavens opened.

Only one match started in Tier 2B, but again, it was eventually washed out.

Horley had set 225-7 in 36 overs against Great Brickhill 2nd, Imran Mohammed top-scoring with 56 not out and James Clark taking 3-43.

But the rain came, and the match was abandoned.

A first win of the season boosted Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd as they saw off hosts Eynsham by 83 runs in Tier 3A.

In poor conditions, a 66-run opening partnership between Lewis Marstin (31) and Russell Hayes (24) got them off to a good start.

Freddie Norridge, batting at No 4 and Chris Holmes at No 5 scored 40 and 27 respectively as Shipton set 199-8 from their 40 overs.

Eynsham were quickly reduced to 40-4 and never fully recovered as youngsters Greg Woods took 4-22 and Callum Dingle 3-15 as their opponents slumped to 116 all out.

Horspath 3rd also dodged the showers to record a seven-wicket win at home to Kingston Bagpuize.

Horspath inserted their visitors, with Adrian Manger (4-14) and Andrew Cummings (3-29) combining to dismiss Kingston for 139 in 31.2 overs.

The hosts needed just 30 overs to reach the victory target as they cruised home at 140-3.

Charlbury were denied victory by the bad weather after they bowled visitors Challow & Childrey 2nd out for just 95.

Three wickets apiece for Ajit Shah, Emilia Bartram and Miyuru Liyanarachchi sent Challow tumbling, Justin Penrose scoring 31 for the visitors.

But before Charlbury could commence a reply, rain forced an early finish.

At Great & Little Tew, Didcot 2nd were 113-5 before the match was called off.

Tier 3B was a complete wash-out with not a ball bowled.

The rain could not save hapless Minster Lovell 2nd as they crashed to a nine-wicket defeat at home to Sandford St Martin 2nd in Tier 4A.

Sandford put their hosts in on a wet pitch with a constant drizzle falling, and routed them for just 63 in 28.1 overs, Zac Whitton taking 3-13.

In reply, Sandford wasted little time in the descending gloom as they raced to 66-1 in the 12th over, Muhammad Saquib hitting a quickfire 52 not out.

Witney Mills 2nd saw off visitors Charlbury 2nd by six wickets.

Andy Slater took 3-9 as Charlbury were shot out for 120, Louis Broad top-scoring with 33. In reply, Mills eased home at 121-5 in the 25th over.

In Tier 4B, Cropredy’s clash with Leighton Buzzard was intriguingly poised before rain had the final say.

Cropredy set 163-9 in 40 overs, Harry Walters and Mike Amos-Simpson both scoring 33.

Buzzard reached 94-5, but with conditions worsening, the game was washed out.

A thrilling clash saw Shipton-under-Wychwood 3rd beat Stokenchurch 2nd on the Duckworth Lewis Method by one run in Tier 5A.

With veteran Simon Dickens bowling well for 3-26, Stokenchurch were restricted to 169 all out in 32.3 overs.

In reply, rain intervened, but Shipton were 162-7 – one run ahead of the par score – when the players went off.

David Hanson led the way with a gutsy 54 not out.

Aston Rowant 4th saw off visitors Abingdon Vale 3rd by 13 runs.

In a rain-reduced 20 overs, the hosts set 151-2 as Ben Knowler hit 72 and Brett Hounsell 59 not out.

Vale put up a valiant run-chase, but closed on 138-3, despite 74 not out from Ramsundhar Baskaravelu and 34 from Chris Darley.

In Tier 5B, Thame Town 3rd ran out six-wicket winners at home to Kimble 2nd.

Thame put Kimble in and with Robert Tomlin taking 3-22, dismissed the visitors for just 130, Usman Riaz top-scoring with 55 not out.

In reply, Thame reached 132-4 to secure victory as Justin Avery struck 73, an innings containing 12 fours and two sixes.

Two games survived in Tier 6, with Shipton-under-Wychwood 4th and Witney Mills 3rd recording victories.

Shipton 4th hammered hosts Oxford 4th by 96 runs.

They had set 139-4 in 30 overs, before Jon Woods took 3-9 as Oxford were shot out for a paltry 43 in 23.1 overs.

Mills picked up their first win as they saw off visitors Chearsley 2nd by 32 runs.

Ross Morgan (56) helped Mills to 150 all out, Andy Crichton taking 3-24 and Harry Lazaruk 3-29.

Andrew Stanley (5-22) and Robin Kidd (4-21) then skittled Chearsley to 118 all out.