Oxford Downs saw their hopes of a trip to Lord's shattered in a 64-run defeat at home to Timsbury yesterday.

The Oxfordshire champions produced a dismal batting display, never showing the sort of application required to pass their target of 199.

They got off to a poor start, and never recovered.

Although Mark Wingfield-Digby and Richard West threatened to lead a comeback, a catastrophic run out all but ended their side's chances.

And then when they lost a further two wickets in the space of ten balls, it really was a case of playing for pride.

Downs suffered a huge blow 24 hours before the game when influential all-rounder Luke List broke a thumb playing against Banbury Twenty.

When Timsbury captain Mark Sage won the toss, he had no hesitation in opting to bat first in glorious conditions.

But it was Downs who started the better, Charlie Sutton having opener Mark Smith caught by Liam Hope, List's replacement, with the score on one.

Sage was the next to go, bowled by Steve Roberts for a duck, and Timsbury were 4-2.

Roberts continued to bowl a fine line and length and was rewarded with two more wickets, both bowled.

With the visiting side on 21-4, Downs were in control.

However, opener Dave Pippett had other ideas.

He was the one batsman who showed no sign of throwing in the towel, and dominated his partnership of 88 with Jer Thompson for the fifth-wicket which put the match back in the balance.

When Thompson went, Pippett did not let up.

Smashing the ball all around the ground, Thompson deserved a century, but fell four runs short as Paddy Daniel took the catch off Wingfield-Digby's bowling.

Despite fielding well throughout, Downs were slightly disappointed with the total of 199-8 after bowling too many wides in the closing stages.

However, five runs an over on the ideal wicket and quick outfield was still very gettable.

Things looked bleak though when they too lost four early wickets.

Big-hitting Ian Caunce went for two, skipper Danny Lee for three, Chris Sandbach for six and Daniel failed to trouble the scorer.

At 20-4, Downs were in an almost identical position to their opponents.

Their fifth-wicket stand was always going to be crucial, and so it proved.

Wingfield-Digby and West steadied the ship, and although they could only take Downs to 35-4 off 15 overs, stability was the key.

Having upped the scoring rate, things were starting to look much rosier at 63-4, before disaster struck.

West stroked the ball out the the point boundary, but there was only ever one run with a fielder quickly onto the ball.

West, however, had other thoughts and Wingfield-Digby was 15 yards short.

Downs never recovered, with Jamie Perkin and West quickly out.

The duo did themselves little favours with Perkin petulantly throwing his bat towards the changing room on his return, and West kicking the boundary as he made his way back.

They knew the game was gone with Downs on 65-7.

Hope was the next to go, leg before to Neil Hucker, with Roberts and Frankie Crouch then managing to take their side past the 100 mark.

Roberts fell to Hucker to leave Downs on the brink.

Crouch and Sutton prodded ones and twos and shared a 31-run last-wicket partnership the second highest of the innings before Crouch was bowled as the visitors completed a 64-run victory.