Great & Little Tew suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season after losing by 71 runs at home to Aston Rowant in Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2 on Saturday.

A third-wicket partnership of 134 between Tim Morgan (85) and Josh Smith (77) was Tew’s undoing, before Dominic Whatman’s 4-44 helped get the visitors off the mark.

Tew, who won their opening three matches, dropped to third following the loss, as Rowant recorded their first victory of the season.

After choosing to bat first, Richard Cook and Andrew Tolson fell cheaply as Rowant slumped to 37-2.

But Morgan and Smith then produced a match-winning partnership.

Morgan was the third wicket to fall, his 85 coming from 149 balls, with seven fours.

After Wes Morrick and Chris Watling also departed, Smith was the sixth wicket out.

The captain’s 77 came off 75 deliveries and contained seven fours and two sixes.

The visitors closed on 255-8 off their 50 overs, and soon had hosts Tew on the back foot – Morrick accounting for in-form Joe White, caught by Smith for a duck.

Matthew Clark was caught by Dan Matthews off Tom Needham’s bowling, before Whatman claimed his first wicket, bowling Harry Smith.

Whatman then claimed the wickets of Martin Coetzee and Curtly Slatter in quick succession to leave Tew up against it at 67-5.

On Sunday, Great & Little Tew travel to Cumnor in the Oxfordshire final of the Davidstow Village Cup.

Tew, last season’s losing national finalists received a walkover in the previous round after Oxford Downs were unable to raise a team.