A BREATHTAKING recovery by East Oxford gave Bicester & North Oxford the jitters in their high-scoring Cherwell League Division 3 encounter at Chesterton.

Bicester racked up an imposing 304-6 and appeared set for a huge win when reducing the visitors to 60-5.

But East Oxford stormed back and threatened an unlikely victory, before settling for a draw on 241-8.

The hosts owed their huge score to Alister Gibbins’s 111 and Nick Moorman’s 95 in a second-wicket partnership of 183.

There were also runs for debutant Will Irving (34).

Having batted themselves in to a seemingly impregnable position, four quick wickets from Andy Godbold (4-60), including two in the second over of the innings, had East Oxford well and truly on the ropes.

But a sixth-wicket stand of 159 between Mubasher Hassan (78) and Amir Butt (88) at first frustrated Bicester’s attack, and then threatened to cause a major upset as they scored 126 from the 15 overs after drinks to keep in touch with the run-rate.

The game was in the balance with 85 needed from the final nine overs when Danny Clark (2-49) had Hassan caught, forcing East Oxford to finally abandon their chase.

There were two late wickets for Dan Murphy (2-8), and when Butt was stumped for 88 in the final over, there was a slim chance for one final, decisive twist.

But East Oxford survived to secure a draw.

Westbury could not prise out Great Brickhill’s last man as they were held to a draw.

Charlie Harper (49no) and Sam Harper (40) helped Westbury to 262-9 in their 53 overs.

Brickhill closed on 216-9 as Graham Judd took 3-19 and Harry Williams 3-35.

Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts had no answer to paceman Jake Heath as they lost by a massive 194 runs to hosts Cropredy in Division 2.

Cropredy racked up 277-9, Russell Beckett hitting 66 and Aussie Matt McInerney 54. Idris Mohammed took 5-93 for Nondies.

The visitors could not stave off the aggression of Heath, who finished with 5-33 as they were shot out for just 83.

In Division 7, Ben Clark took 5-52 as Bicester & North Oxford 2nd dismissed hosts Bledlow Village for 230.

The visitors slumped to 40-6, before Clark (25), Lewis Moore (32), Liam Randall (19no) and Steve Conway (40no) saw them to a draw at 159-8.

It was a similar backs-to-the-wall story for Bicester & North Oxford 3rd away to Shipton-under-Wychwood 3rd, with Richard Plumbe taking 3-43 as Shipton set a target of 224.

Mark Adams top-scored with 34 in Bicester’s reply of 130-7.