Rory Lyon hit 75 as Twyford beat Oxford Downs by three wickets in a Cherwell League Division 1 thriller on Saturday.

Downs looked on course for victory when they amassed 239-6 from their 53 overs after being asked to bat.

Darryl Woods (57), Phil King (46no), Wasim Mehmood (40) and Justin Cantrell (38) were in the runs for Downs.

Zawar Hussain took 3-21 for the home side, who timed the run chase to perfection, reaching 240-7 with two balls to spare for a three-wicket victory thanks to Lyon’s heroics and a 54 from Dave Powles.

Twyford 25pts, Oxford Downs 12

Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts’ off spinner Mark Strong helped his side to a four-wicket win at home to Challow & Childrey in Division 2.

His figures of 3-19 may not appear remarkable – except they came from 17 miserly overs, nine of them maidens, as Challow crawled to 135.

Gordon then took 4-38 to induce a mid-innings wobble, but Chris Day (30no) steered Nondies to 136-6.

Ox & Bletch Nondies 25, Challow & Childrey 8 Bicester & North Oxford came off worse in their draw at Buckingham Town 2nd.

Warwick May (53), Steve Brunning (48), Mike Taylor (39) and Alex O’Dell (33no) led Buckingham to 214-5.

Jamie Carter (50no) and Ryan Moore (43no) steered Bicester to 158-5. Peter Ferg-uson took 3-55.

Buck’ham 2nd 15, Bic & N Oxford 4

Twyford 2nd were forced to settle for a draw against Brackley in Division 5.

Sam Lyon made an unbeaten 58 as Twyford were dismissed for 180, Dave Barnes doing the damage with 5-63.

Sam Roberts (4-29) and Tom Jackson (3-23) nearly pulled off the win, but Michael Cart-wright (36no) marshalled the Brackley tail to 135-9.

Brackley 7, Twyford 2nd 18

Atif Mohammed’s half-century for Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 2nd was in vain as they lost by five wickets against Challow & Childrey 2nd in Division 6.

Mohammed hit 56 as Nondies were all out for 163.

Challow then eased to victory at 164-5, despite Kamran Ahmed taking 5-46.

Ox & Bletch Nondies 2nd 4, Challow & Childrey 2nd 25

Top-class displays from Nick Moorman (116no) and Jack Hobbs (5-38) were not enough for Bicester & North Oxford 2nd to force victory at home to Didcot 3rd in Division 7.

Moorman and Marcus Sears (38) led Bicester to 215-4, but Didcot held on at 131-9.

Bicester & NO 2nd 19, Didcot 3rd 3

Alam Mohammad hit 92 as Oxford & Bletchingdon 3rd defeated Cumnor 3rd by 76 runs in Division 8.

Mohammed’s fine knock and a 46 from Malcolm West took Nondies to 199-7.

Cumnor were all out for 123 in reply, with Gwyn Griffiths (4-24) and Jacob Morris (3-23) the chief wicket-takers.

Cumnor 3rd 4, Nondies 3rd 25

RESULTS

Division 1
Oxford Downs 239-6 (D Woods 57, King 46no, W Mahmood 40, J Cantrell 38, Z Hussain 3-21), Twyford 240-7 (R Lyon 75, D Powles 54).
Division 2
Challow & Childrey 135 (R Gordon 35, A Ali 3-42, M Strong 3-17), Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 136-6 (C Day 30no, R Gordon  4-38).
Division 3
Buckingham Town 2nd 214 (W May 53, S Brunning 48, M Taylor 39, A O’Dell 33no), Bicester & North Oxford 158-5 (J Carter 50no, R Moore 43no).
Division 5
Twyford 2nd 180 (S Lyon 58no, A Bone 37, D Barnes 5-63), Brackley 135-9 (M Cartwright 36no, S Roberts 4-29, T Jackson 3-23).
Division 6
Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 2nd 163 (A Mahomad 56, K Humphries 4-13, G Rees 3-47), Challow & Childrey 2nd 164-5 (R Hales 47, C Robson 35no, K Ahmed 5-46).
Division 7
Bicester & North Oxford 2nd 215-4 (N Moorman 116no, M Mears 38), Didcot 3rd 131-9 (J Hobbs 5-38).
Division 8
Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 3rd 199-7 (A Mohammed 92, M West 46, S Herbert 3-24), Cumnor 3rd 123 (G Griffiths     4-24, J Morris 3-23).
Division 10
Didcot 4th 143 (C Strange 77, L Randall     4-23), Bicester & North Oxford 3rd 144-9 (L Randall 38, C Strange 3-33, A Prothero 3-21).
Twyford 3rd 236 (S Deal 114, M Roche 3-68), Challow & Childrey 3rd 190-9 (S Bond 70, P Cox 43, B Cox 42, A Gilder 3-13).
SATURDAY’S

FIXTURES
Div 1: Twyford v Tiddington.
Div 2: Leighton Buzzard Tn v Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.
Div 3: Bicester & North Oxford v Didcot.
Div 5: Tiddington 2nd v Twyford 2nd.
Div 6: Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 2nd v Horspath 3rd.
Div 7: Oxford 4th v Bicester & North Oxford 2nd.
Div 8: Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 3rd v Brackley 2nd.
Div 10: Bicester & North Oxford 3rd v Leighton Buzzard Tn 3rd.