THE race for the Division 2 title will go down to the final week as leaders Buckingham 2nd and second-placed Challow & Childrey both posted seven-wicket wins in the Cherwell League.

Challow hammered hosts Cropredy to stay 11 points off the pace.

They dismissed Cropredy for just 136 in the 47th over, before Challow eased to 139-3 in 42.4 overs as Harry Kent top-scored with 76.

Challow host Great & Little 2nd next weekend.

l Cropredy 5pts, Challow & Childrey 25

Buckingham will be favourites to clinch the title after their victory at home to Oxford 2nd.

Ben Stafford (4-30) and Ben Laycock (4-33) combined to dismiss Oxford for 129, before Steve Brunning struck 66 not out as Buckingham eased home at 130-3.

They travel to relegated Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts on Saturday.

l Buckingham 2nd 25pts, Oxford 2nd 4

At the other end of the table, Great & Little Tew 2nd’s 58-run defeat to local rivals Sandford St Martin all-but condemns them to relegation.

Sandford were put in by the hosts and were bowled out for 194, Steve Dobson hitting 89 and Mark Robey 59.

Josh Garrett took 4-29 for Tew, who were then tumbled out for 136 in their reply as Henry Portman claimed 4-45.

l Great & Little Tew 2nd 7pts, Sandford St Martin 25

Didcot hammered Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts by nine wickets to secure their survival.

Nondies were shot out for 101, Rob Keat doing most of the damage with 5-61.

Didcot then took just 23.3 overs to reach 104-1, Vishane Perera top-scoring with 33 not out.

l Didcot 25pts, Ox & Bletch Nondies 2

Will Woodward’s 105 was in vain for Bledlow Village, who lost by three wickets at Leighton Buzzard.

Bledlow racked up 263-9 in 53 overs, but David Scott (90) and Jack Kempster (49no) then led the hosts to 266-7.

Buzzard are just eight points behind second-placed Challow.

l L Buzzard 25pts, Bledlow Village 12

In Division 3, Wolverton defeated Westbury by 57 runs to secure the title.

Westbury put their hosts in to bat, and Charlie Purton (3-44) helped to bowl them out for 146.

But super spells from Idrees Butt (4-25), and Haroon Malik (3-27) sent Westbury tumbling to 89 all out.

l Wolverton 25pts, Westbury 5

Horley thrashed struggling Great Brickhill 2nd by 137 runs.

Batting first, Horley were all out off the final ball of their innings for 283, David Taylor and Stephen King both scoring 97.

Brickhill got nowhere near as they were rolled over for 146, David Finch the pick of the attacking taking 5-55.

l Gt Brickhill 2nd 7pts, Horley 25

Steve Roberts returned brilliant figures of 7-34 as Oxford Downs 2nd saw off visitors Banbury 3rd by 41 runs.

Downs were all out for 190 as Charan Chahal hit 73 and Chris Phillips took 4-37.

Veteran pair Mike Simpson (45) and Neil Megson (34) were on form for Banbury, but Roberts ran through the card as the visitors were bowled out for 149.

l Ox Downs 25pts, Banbury 3rd 7

East Oxford were relegated as they fell to a narrow three-run defeat at Cublington.

The home side were bowled out in 34.5 overs for 196, but East Oxford then fell for 193 in reply.

l Cublington 25pts, E Oxford 9

Minster Lovell clinched promotion to Division 3 at the first attempt after a resounding seven-wicket victory at home to rivals Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd.

The reigning OCA League champions need nine points from next week’s final game of the season at Tiddington 2nd to secure the title.

Shipton opted to bat first, but were quickly on the back foot as Russell Hayes and Ian Harris fell to Leigh Smith and Brian Barrett respectively.

Veteran Jerry Senior quickly followed as the visitors were reduced to 18-3.

And when the experienced Paul Hemming was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Eddie Dunn, Shipton were deep in trouble.

But they steadied the ship with Luke Champion hitting 32 and former Minster junior Dee Jarvis 33 not out.

But no other Shipton player reached double figures as the home side kept a tight rein on the visitors batting.

Barrett finished with 2-26 from 15 overs, while Smith took 2-11, Jack Simpson 2-18 and Dunn 2-39.

Shipton were bowled out for just 108 in the 45th over, and knew they would have to make early in-roads to stand any chance.

They did just that as opener Elliot Graham fell for a duck in the first over, bowled by Chris Panter.

But a quickfire 23 from Ollie Mersh wrestled the initiative away from Shipton, and although Panter took two more wickets, the result was never really in doubt.

Skipper Harry Ebsworth fell for 18, but an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 62 between Connor Tinsley (39no) and Simpson eased Minster to victory in the 27th over.

They are 16 points clear at the top ahead of next week’s game at Tiddington 2nd, with second-placed Stokenchurch making the trip to Shipton.

Witney Mills’ Sam Cross scored his second century of the season to help his side to a crushing 154-run win at home to relegated Horspath 3rd and keep alive their outside hopes of promotion.

Horspath would have rued putting Mills in to bat as they racked up 257-3 declared in 48 overs.

Cross led the way with a superb 114 and skipper Mike Dove chipped in with 53 not out.

Horspath were never in the hunt, and were dismissed for just 103.

Pierre Lefort took 4-26 and Sam Haselgrove returned 3-26.

l Witney Mills 25pts, Horspath 3rd 2

Thame Town 2nd did Mills a huge favour in beating third-placed Brackley by 19 runs.

Batting first, Thame posted 203-8 in their 53 overs, Justin Avery leading the way with 53.

Eric Carpenter struck 94 in Brackley’s reply, but they were bowled out for 184 as Alastair Thomas took 4-38.

l Thame Tn 2nd 25pts, Brackley 6

Tiddington 2nd fell to a 93-run defeat at Bletchley Town.

The hosts were dismissed for 219, Ellie Noble starring with the ball by taking 4-54.

But Tiddington managed only 126 all out as Jude Ramanadanpulle claimed 4-48.

l Bletchley Tn 25pts, Tiddington 2nd 6

Stokenchurch kept their title hopes alive with a seven-wicket win at Dinton 2nd, who will finish in a relegation position as a result.

Dinton were bowled out for 94, before Ashley Hunt (51no) led Stokenchurch to 96-3.

l Stokenchurch 25pts, Dinton 2nd 3