BANBURY stayed in touch with the top two but were frustrated by the weather in their draw at leaders Henley in the Home Counties Premier League.

Rain delayed the start of the Division 1 fixture and led to a shortened second innings.

Charles Hill’s four-wicket haul and a half-century from Lloyd Sabin helped Banbury pick up 12 points.

They have closed the gap to second-placed Datchet, whose match at Buckingham Town was abandoned, to nine.

After being inserted, the visitors posted 177-9 from their 53 overs, Sabin hitting 73.

Banbury slipped to 33-2, but a 30-run partnership between captain Sabin and Shahid Yousaf helped steady the ship.

However, Yousaf and Richard West fell in quick succession to leave the visitors on 77-4.

A 48-run fifth wicket stand between Sabin and Shazad Rana helped Banbury over 100.

But when Sabin was dismissed the visitors fell from 125-5 to 177-9.

Henley only had 22 overs to reach the target and Hill, who took 4-58, reduced them to 55-3.

Wickets continued to fall, but the hosts dug deep to reach 113-7.

A 147-run opening stand between James Coles and George Reid helped Aston Rowant make it four wins from five games when beating Tring Park by nine wickets at home.

The visitors, who were inserted, posted 175-9 from their 39 overs, opener David Burnell top-scoring with 52.

Alan Duncan starred with the ball, taking 5-29, while Wes Morrick claimed 3-85.

Coles, who hit an unbeaten 91 off just 68 deliveries, and Reid (67) then put on 147 for the first wicket to put the hosts well on their way to victory.

Tom Condon joined Coles at the crease as Rowant got over the line in the 27th over.

Horspath were frustrated by Slough’s Daniyal Akhtar’s unbeaten century before their basement battle was abandoned due to rain.

Following wet weather in the morning, the match was reduced to a 45-37 overs contest, with Horspath skipper Will Eason inserting the visitors.

Liam Manley and Will Robertson took two wickets apiece to leave Slough in trouble at 29-4.

However, opener Akhtar and brother, Rahim (29), dug deep.

Daniyal Akhtar stood firm to finish on 100 not out from 136 balls as the innings ended on 166-7 in the rain.

Although conditions improved, there was not enough time left before the scheduled close for Horspath to bat 25 overs to complete the 70 required to constitute a match, so the game was abandoned.

Thame Town took over at the top of Division 2 when beating hosts Wokingham by five wickets.

With previous leaders Oxford’s match against Burnham abandoned, Michael Beard’s side leapfrogged their Oxfordshire rivals to go seven points clear.

Electing to field, Thame restricted Wokingham to 176-7 from 50 overs.

But the hosts recovered well from a nightmare start when Johan Van Dyk and Faisal Ali struck to reduce them to 6-2.

A third-wicket partnership of 55 between Danny Housego and Simon Myles stopped the rot.

Hassam Mushtaq and Andrew Russell then took two wickets apiece as Wokingham found themselves 141-7.

But Jacob Clark and Iain Muirden frustrated the visitors by putting on 35 runs for the eighth wicket.

A 99-run opening stand between captain Beard (67) and Olliver Ebsworth-Burland (45) then proved key in Thame’s chase.

Even when the latter was dismissed, Beard combined with Callum Russell to help the visitors reach 146-1.

Russell and Beard, whose 67 came off 114 balls, eventually fell in quick succession, but the visitors reached the target with five wickets to spare.

Oxford’s match at Burnham fell foul of the weather.

Having been inserted, the visitors posted 155-9 from 43 overs, Ollie Price top-scoring with 52.

But the fixture was abandoned before Burnham could begin their innings.

Oxford Downs’ match at Harefield was called off without a ball being bowled.