Wes Bartlett hit 81 and James France made 53 as hosts Oxford Downs finally secured their first Cherwell League Division 1 win of the season at the expense of Great Brickhill.

The home side’s innings was reduced by rain to 40 overs, from which they managed a competitive 209-5 thanks to Michael Baker (97) and Doug Aris (58).

Steve Roberts collected 3-58.

Downs then raced to 215-6 from only 31.4 overs to climb off the foot of the table.

Great Brickhill 10pts, Oxford Downs 25

Kevin Taylor took 5-14 from 7.4 overs as Great & Little Tew 2nd beat Dinton 2nd to go top of Division 3.

A 103-run partnership betw-een Brennan Gough (73) and Neil Roberts (52) looked like taking Dinton to an unassailable total before Taylor reduced them to 196 all out.

Markus Jeacock then hit a superb unbeaten 89 in Tew’s 197-6.

Great & Little Tew 2nd 25pts, Dinton 2nd 10

Morning leaders Sandford St Martin suffered a surprise four-wicket defeat at Buckingham Town 2nd.

Tom Goffe hit 36, but the visitors managed only 133-5 from their 35 overs.

Town also struggled to score quickly, making it to 134-6 in the 33rd.

Buckingham Town 2nd 25, Sandford St Martin 8

Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd had the better of a rain-affected draw with Bicester & North Oxford.

Fifteen overs were lost before the start, so Shipton received 44 to Bicester’s 39.

Put in to bat, Shipton were in trouble on 6-2 before the experienced Paul Hemming (36) and Charlie Miller (40) added 64 to turn the tide.

The introduction of Richard Simpson (3-44) brought the visitors back in the match, but Jamie Nelson (37) and Chris Panter (30) kept the scoreboard ticking until Max Small (4-20) cleaned up the tail.

Bicester, chasing a target of 206 to win, came up well short on 170-6 as Shipton eased in.

Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd 16, Bicester & North Oxford 8

Jonathan Meardon took 6-40 to set up an easy win for Oxford Downs over Bletchley Town.

The visitors were rolled over for 123, with Ian Smith (43) and Sam Newman (30) the only batsmen to get going.

Ben Talbot (3-48) made Downs work for the runs, but Harry Anderson (33no) saw them over the line with five wickets down.

Bletchley were deducted five points for failing to provide a scorer.

Oxford Downs 2nd 25, Bletchley 1

Dan Swindells hit a stunning 118 not out for Witney Mills, who swept to victory in their local derby clash with Kingston Bagpuize.

Batting first, Kingston had managed a respectable 177-8 from 46 overs thanks to Matt Warner (69) and Olly Young (31).

But Mills needed only 25 overs to reach 178-3 and go second in the table.

Witney Mills 25pts, Kingston Bagpuize 6

Sandford St Martin 2nd’s Jim Howe almost beat Didcot 2nd on his own in their Division 7 encounter.

He made 73 in Sandford’s 209-9, Charlie Beeson making a top score of 83, and then Howe claimed 4-25 in Didcot’s reply of 58.

Sandford St Martin 2nd 25, Didcot 2nd 4