MOHAMMAD Ayub starred with an unbeaten 75 as Oxford went top of Division 1 with a convincing 59-run victory over Horspath at Jordan Hill.

Ayub, who played one Test match for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in 2012, steered Oxford to 233-4 after they had been put in to bat.

Horspath, who gave a debut to former England Test paceman Ajmal Shahzad after he joined on a short-term deal from Sussex, were then bowled out for 174, with spinners ShamiMendis (4-26) and Chris Humphreys (4-33) doing the damage.

Shahzad was unable to make the breakthrough as Harvey Eltham and Owen Tong-Jones put on 53 for Oxford’s first wicket, before the latter was trapped lbw by Pat Foster for 23.

Eltham made a patient 57 from 115 balls with five fours, while Ayub hit two sixes and six fours in his 64-ball innings.

Mendis (26) and Mark Beer (18no) provided good late support as Shahzad finished with expensive figures of 1-67, while Foster impressed with 1-20 from his ten overs.

Harrison Ward and Robbie Eason put on 58 for Horspath’s first wicket, before they fell within a run of each other.

Shahzad was then stumped by stand-in skipper Jamie Perkin off Humphreys for five, and with four wickets going down for 22 runs. Horspath were in trouble at 92-6.

Tom Cosford and skipper Will Eason gave the visitors hope by putting on 70 for the seventh wicket.

But when Cosford was caught reverse-sweeping a delivery from leg-spinner Mendis just after reaching a maiden league half-century, it spelt the beginning of the end.

He had made 50 from 51 balls, with two sixes and four boundaries.

Eason followed seven runs later, caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary by Ayub off Mendis for 38, and the visitors were finally all out in the 47th over.

Banbury’s batsmen struggled for runs as they suffered a seven-wicket defeat at home to Burnham.

After being put in to bat, the hosts could not escape the shackles of the tight Burnham attack.

Craig Haupt made only 29 off 90 balls in an opening stand of 54 with Ollie Clarke at little more than two runs per over.

Clarke went on to score 69 from 124 balls, while Lloyd Sabin increased the run rate with 31 off 36 deliveries.

Banbury’s later batsmen fell to Sulaiman Javed (4-43), as they managed only 178-7 from their 50 overs.

Burnham fell to 57-3, but an unbroken century stand between Harveer Gandam (66no) and Aftab Khan, whose unbeaten 72 came off only 70 balls, sped the visitors to victory in the 39th over.

Great & Little Tew suffered a crushing 188-run defeat away to champions Finchampstead.

A second-wicket stand of 182 between Andrew House (118) and Dan Marles (107) laid the foundations for the home side’s impressive 301-5 after they had chosen to bat first.

A deadly opening burst by Anthony Parson (4-14) left the Tew innings in tatters at 31-4.

Robbie Shurmer (38) led some spirited resistance, but the visitors were dismissed for 113 in the 32nd over, Max Uttley polishing off the innings with 3-8.

Excellent bowling by Will Rooney paved the way for Thame Town’s convincing six-wicket victory away to Shipton-under-Wychwood in Division 2.

The seamer topped and tailed the home side’s innings taking 4-14 in two spells to restrict them to 167, before Thame eased home with six wickets and 15 overs to spare.

Charlie Brain and Charlie Miller fell cheaply to Rooney after Shipton chose to bat first.

But a third-wicket stand of 71 between Andrew Hemming (53) and Simon Hole (44) repaired the damage before both fell to spin.

Hassam Mushtaq, with 3-29, held the Shipton middle order in check, before Rooney returned to polish off the innings in the 49th over, the last five wickets falling for 16 runs.

Anupam Sanklecha struck two early blows for Shipton when the visitors replied, but then Will Sutcliffe, whose 69 came off 81 balls, and Gamindu Kanishka added 78 for the third wicket.

Kanishkawas out for 53 from 65 balls but by then Thame were home and dry.

Aston Rowant marched on at the top with 25-run victory at home to Chesham.

Choosing to bat first, Rowant were given a flying start with Tom Condon and Alex Jewell put ting on 85 for the first wicket.

Condon dominated the stand with 50 from 48 balls with nine fours.

After James McDougall was run out second ball, Jewell was joined by Hendrick Robyns, who hit 68 from 93 balls, also with nine fours.

From 172-2, the innings fell away against the bowling of Pip France (4-49) and they were all out for 232.

Chesham were well-placed at 139-2, thanks to a half-century from Matt Rance.

But they collapsed against Will Pendered (4-34) and Adam Muttitt (3-42) to be all out for 207, with two overs left.