SANDFORD St Martin went agonisingly close to winning at Cherwell League Division 2 leaders Challow & Childrey.

A 53-run stand between Kris Jones (58) and Jim Howe (35no) helped the visitors to 179-9 in the rain-affected match.

Tom Goffe (3-39) led the way as Sandford’s attack struck regularly, but Challow’s final pair knocked off the seven runs they needed to inflict a one-wicket defeat.

Great & Little Tew 2nd eased to an 81-run victory at Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Robbie Shurmer (90no), Markus Jeacock (70) and Henry Woodward (64) helped Tew rack up 262-5 in 52 overs.

Shurmer completed an excellent all-round performance with 4-23, while Ian Bryan claimed 4-36 as the home side were all out for 181.

Oxford Downs were thwarted by hosts Buckingham Town 2nd, who clung on for a draw.

James Ellwood top-scored with 70 as Downs racked up 243-9.

Nick Rivett claimed 3-26 for Downs as Buckingham lost regular wickets, but they shut up shop to close on 117-8 to deny Downs maximum points.

Tim Senior hit 44 for Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd but received little support in their five-wicket home defeat to Horley in Division 3.

Shipton were all out for 119, a total the visitors surpassed in the 21st over.

Oxford Downs 2nd also lost at home, slumping to Banbury 3rd by 88 runs in damp conditions.

Chasing the visitors’ 202-7, Downs were left in trouble by young off-spinner George Tait (4-23), and their hopes of salvaging a draw were ended with one over remaining when they were dismissed for 114.

Witney Mills climbed to third in Division 4 with a 92-run victory at home to Kimble.

Liam Hare (64) and Malcolm Evans (63) saw Mills shrug off the showers to set 211-8 in 45 overs.

Ben Madden then returned outstanding figures of 6-44 as Kimble fell to 119 all out.

Sandford St Martin 2nd were all out for 108 to lose by 76 runs at home to Division 7 leaders Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Great & Little Tew 4th were also no match for a visiting side in form, losing by the same margin against Division 8 front-runners Westbury 2nd.

After bowling Westbury out for 219, Gordon Sellwood hit 69 but Tew’s reply fell apart against veteran Ron Ridgway, who took 5-6 at the home side were dismissed for 143.

Shipton-under-Wychwood 4th and Oxford Downs 3rd tied a terrific clash in Division 9 South.

Graham Nelson (46) helped Shipton to 212-9 in their 45 overs.

Dave Spilsbury then hit 49 in Downs’s reply, but were all out for 212 as well off the final ball of the match.