CHERWELL LEAGUE

Division 1

HORSPATH were spared their first defeat of the season when heavy rain brought a premature end to their match at Bletchley Town.

But despite being outplayed for most of the afternoon, a quirk of the league’s points system left Horspath with more points than their unfortunate opponents.

Only Robbie Eason (61) could get going against Wasim Fayyaz (4-10) and James Clark (4-47) as the visitors stumbled to 150 all out.

Paul Strong was looking good on 51 not out and Town needed 37 runs from 39 balls with eight wickets in hand when the rain intervened.

Bletchley Town 6pts, Horspath 10

Great & Little Tew closed the gap at the top by beating Buckingham Town.

Liam Manley took 4-45 from 12 overs, while Matt Woods strangled the life out of the Town batsmen to finish with figures of 3-36 from 19.

The visitors’ total of 101 all out almost looked like being enough, but Ashley Hubbert held his nerve to hit an unbeaten 39 in Tew’s 105-7.

Gt & Little Tew 25, Buckingham Tn 8

It was a similar story at Leighton Buzzard Town, where the hosts prevailed in a low-scoring contest.

Cumnor crumpled to 106 all out against spinners Lee Selfe, who took 4-11 from 12 overs, and Jack Kempster (4-33).

Ali Morteza hit 31 for the visitors, then Mike Sinclair claimed 3-39 to make Buzzard work hard for the win, but they soon reached 110-5.

Leighton Buzzard Town 25, Cumnor 6

Will Sandbach (6-59) and Mark Wingfield Digby (3-35) bowled Oxford Downs into a decent position at Great Brickhill.

The home side were all out for 179 from 47.3 overs, with Garth Davson (58) and Graeme Carter (38) to the fore.

Rain curtailed Downs’ reply to only 18 overs, from which they managed 54-2.

Oxford Downs 6, Great Brickhill 6

No play was possible in the basement battle between Banbury 2nd and Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Banbury 2nd 6, Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 6