RUNAWAY Division 2 leaders Great & Little Tew saw their advantage trimmed to 28 points after an agonising fourrun defeat at home to Amersham on Saturday.

In a thrilling finish, the hosts, chasing 186 for victory, needed six to win from the final four balls with two wickets left.

Then Matt Woods was run out, and after Tew’s six-wicket bowling hero Joe Thomas had scored a single, last-man Lawrence Brock was bowled first ball.

They were all out for 181 off the penultimate ball of the innings.

After inserting the visitors, Tew struck in the first over.

Bruce Friedrichs and Andy Viney added 50 for the second wicket before both fell to Tew skipper Andy Harris, who had recovered from a finger injury to play.

The rest of the innings was dominated by two players.

Amersham’s Sri Lankan all-rounder Miduka Liyanapathiranage scored 62, while the remaining wickets went to Thomas, who returned 6-56, as the ten-man visitors reached 185 in 57.2 overs.

Tew slipped to 45-4, with left arm-seamer Duncan Ward taking three of the wickets before Jordan Garrett (59) and Ashley Hubbert (53) added 75 for the fifth wicket.

At 120-4, Tew seemed likely winners, but wickets fell steadily to off-spinner Liyanapathiranage, who bowled throughout to take 5-65, to set up that exciting climax.

Second-placed Gerrards Cross kept up the pressure with a convincing success over Dinton.

This week Tew entertain Buckingham Town.

Shipton-under-Wychwood’s game at Cove was abandoned due to a waterlogged ground – the only league game to suffer this fate.

The west Oxfordshire side, who have slipped down the table in recent weeks, will be hoping for better luck this Saturday at home to Gerrards Cross.