Tom Costley stars with bat and ball as Oxford Downs draw with Twyford (From Herald Series)

Tom Costley’s fine all-round display helped Oxford Downs to a draw at home to Twyford in Cherwell League Division 1.

Twyford were bowled out for 177, Shabaz Alam top-scoring with 76 and Costley taking 5-44.

Downs had 53 overs to chase the target, but they batted out for the draw at 160-7, Costley leading the reply with 60 not out and Bilal Afzal returning 4-27.

Sandford St Martin defeated Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts by 112 runs to confirm the visitors’ relegation from Division 2.

Sandford reached 210-7 in 53 overs, Chris Thompson top-scoring with 45.

Three wickets apiece for Martin Anson, Henry Portman and Chris Thompson sent Nondies to 98 all out – and their sorry day was summed up by having five points deducted for no scorer.

Great & Little Tew 2nd slumped to 119 all out to lose by three wickets at Cropredy as their relegation fears increased. Jake Heath took 4-40 for the home side as only Curtly Slatter (49) got going for Tew.

Charan Chahal’s five-wicket haul helped Oxford Downs 2nd to a 38-run victory at East Oxford in Division 3.

Downs were all out for only 145 as Chetan Walia took 5-33.

But leg-spinner Chahal then claimed 5-14 as East Oxford slumped to 107 all out in reply.

Left-arm spinner Eddie Dunn returned a six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick, as Minster Lovell returned to the top of Division 4 with a 38-run win at home to fellow title-chasers Stokenchurch.

Minster were bowled out in the 50th over for 191, James Merriman top-scoring with 39.

But Dunn was the star of the show, taking 6-32 as Stokenchurch were bowled out for 153 in reply.

Witney Mills saw off hosts Tiddington 2nd by seven wickets to consolidate their position in fourth.

Olly Burney took 3-28 as Tiddington were bowled out for just 84, and then Sam Cross (53) led Mills to 85-3 in the 14th over.

Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd slumped to a six-wicket defeat at home to Bletchley Town.

Electing to bat first, Shipton posted 184-9 in their 53 overs, Ian Harris top-scoring with 53.

But visitors Bletchley were in a hurry as they raced to 189-4 in just 22 overs, Naeem Shahzad leading the way with a quickfire 93 not out.

Colin Simpson’s 123 was in vain for Sandford St Martin 2nd, who lost by 21 runs at home to East Oxford in Division 6.

East Oxford were bowled out for 192 and although Simpson’s ton led Sandford’s reply, they were all out for 171 in the penultimate over.

There was a remarkable statistic in Minster Lovell 3rd’s draw at Abingdon Vale 4th in Division 10.

In reply to Vale’s 213-5, Minster shut up shop at 114-5, but opener Ashley Horne’s 75 not out took the youngster’s seasonal batting average to an 399.

He has been out just once in ten innings.

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