Oxford Downs recovered from 31-5 to secure victory against visitors Aston Rowant 2nd in a Cherwell League Division 2 thriller on Saturday.

Rowant were restricted to 211-9 from their 53 overs as Johnny Law took 4-50. Chris Eaton (62) top-scored for Rowant.

Downs got off to a dreadful start in their reply, but a terrific stand of 105 between Amin Rafiq (87no) and Wasim Mehmood (51) helped Downs edge home at 215-8 with seven balls to spare.

Sandford St Martin were cursing Abingdon Vale’s substitute fielder Arthur Beard as they lost by 41 runs at their Oxfordshire rivals.

Beard, fielding for the injured Paul White, took a diving low catch at mid-off to seal victory as time was running out.

Earlier, Amith Premkumar had hit 62 to help Vale to 205 all out, although the hosts were indebted to White and Luke Mitchell, who shared a quickfire lastwicket stand of 33.

It was while White was batting that he injured a hamstring, and Beard, who had been playing on the adjacent pitch for the third team, stepped in to field.

Despite 57 from Kris Jones, Sandford lost regular wickets, as off spinner Jonathan Jenkinson took 7-51 in 16 overs.

But with four overs and two balls remaining, youngster Beard was the Vale hero with his spectacular catch.

Great & Little Tew 2nd were left frustrated after a home draw with Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Tew declared in the 50th over after posting 232-6.

Pablo Mukherjee then hit 101 for Nondies, while Chris Day struck 41 and Aadam Samiullah 36.

But despite this, the visitors closed on 224-7.

In Division 3, Jason Hunt claimed six wickets to help Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd to a three-wicket victory at Buckingham Town 2nd.

Shipton put the hosts in to bat and Buckingham got off to a solid start as Tim Riley (43) and Michael Taylor shared 51 for the first wicket.

But it was the introduction of Hunt that turned the match in Shipton’s favour as he returned superb figures of 6-24 in 15 overs to dismiss Buckingham for 128.

There were nervy moments in Shipton’s runchase – who slumped to 81-6.

But the visitors held their nerve to reach 129-7 in the 41st over to wrap up victory.

James Risbridger took 4-20 to help Banbury 3rd romp to an eight-wicket victory at home to Oxford Downs 2nd.

Risbridger, Ollie Murrey (3-30) and Ross Freeman (3-6) combined to skittle Downs for a paltry 64, and then Anas Ahmed struck 32 not out to steer Banbury to victory in the 13th over.

Witney Mills’s Division 4 promotion hopes suffered a setback as they slipped to a five-wicket defeat at home to Kimble.

Phil Semmens took 6-37 as Kimble dismissed Mills for 149, before Steven Richards hit 56 as they eased home in the 39th over.

Sandford St Martin 2nd were scuppered by Wolverton 2nd after racking up more than 300 in Division 6.

Scott Reynolds (83), Colin Simpson (75) and Danny Smith (68) shone in Sandford’s 301-7.

Wolverton clung on for a draw at 173-9.

In Division 9, Justin Parker’s century helped Great & Little Tew 4th to a fivewicket victory at home to Kimble 2nd.

The visitors set 209-8 from their 45 overs, Ken Shurmer taking 3-35 for Tew.

Parker then smashed 104 and Alex Kelly 56 to steer Tew home at 213-5 with almost five overs to spare.