DESPITE a five-wicket spell from skipper Andy Harris, Great & Little Tew suffered a 71 run defeat at home to local rivals Banbury,

The win moved Banbury up to second in Division 1 of the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League with an outside chance of the title.

It was a good day for the captains as Banbury’s leader Lloyd Sabin top-scored with 83 from as many balls, which included eight boundaries and two sixes, as Banbury set 245-8, with Harris taking 5-33.

Openers Craig Haupt (36) and Ollie Clarke (42) put on 62 after Banbury chose to bat first, before a third-wicket stand of 110 between Sabin and Richard West (44) proved crucial.

Tew slipped to 30-3 in reply,

Joe White (39) helped stabilise the ship in fourth and fifth-wicket partnerships with Lloyd Brock and Curtly Slatter to take the visitors to 102-4.

But when he fell, Tew lost three wickets for 24 runs to leave them on 126-8.

A ninth-wicket partnership of 39 between Robbie Shurmer and Matthew Warner only delayed the inevitable before Tew were dismissed for 174.

Banbury 20pts, Great & Little Tew 6

Shipton-under-Wychwood arrested a run of three defeats in beating Cookham Dean by four wickets at home.

Shaun Cross claimed 4-41, while Anupam Sanklecha and Thomas Swann both took 3-41, as the hosts dismissed their visitors for 202.

Shipton were never in trouble, with opener Simon Hole hitting 60, while Ian Lewis (46) and Anupam Sanklecha (31no) helped steer the home side to victory.

Cookham Dean 6pts, Shipton 20