All-rounder Wes Morrick proved the difference as his Aston Rowantside squeezed past Oxford Downs by three wickets in their top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.

Richard West scored 115 and Chris Sandbach 48 in Downs's total of 215-6, Morrick taking 3-57 in a 24-over spell.

Tom Needham (46) and Chris Watling (32) gave the visitors a decent start despite Marc Milligan's 3-72, before Morrick hit 50 to take his side within sight of victory.

Downs were deducted two points for their slow over rate.

Oxford Downs 9pts, Aston Rowant 25.

Cumnor stay top after they eased to a five-wicket win at Shipton-under-Wychwood.

Young off-spinner Umair Ghazali was in the wickets again, taking 4-57 as Shipton managed 206-7 from their 52 overs.

Dickon Morris (80) and Sahan Wijeratne (51) scored the bulk of the runs.

Openers Shahbaz Alam (51) and Danny Gaunt (34) gave Cumnor a good start before Andrew Robertson (61) and Jamie Douglas (30no) finished the job.

Shipton 9, Cumnor 25.

Banbury 2nd skipper Wayne Hazell was far from impressed by the tactics of local rivals Banbury Twenty, labelling them 'boring' after they blocked out for a draw.

Put in to bat, Banbury had been bowled out for 243, in which Steve Beck clubbed 60 and Chris Board scampered 72.

Former Oxfordshire opening bowler Sean Joyner took 3-69 for Twenty, who then crawled to 142-6, with only Dave Clark (45) showing much intent.

Twenty were deducted one point for failing to bowl their overs in time, and both sides are now in relegation trouble.

Banbury 2nd 14, Banbury Twenty 9.

A second-wicket stand of 193 between Darryl Woods (61) and Duncan Bradshaw (123) - who was dropped three times while in single figures - set up an easy win for Bicester & North Oxford at Great & Little Tew.

Bicester were 170-1 after 30 overs before off spinner Kevin Taylor pegged them back by taking 4-41, and they closed on 240-7.

Tew's fragile batting was exposed yet again, this time by Steve West (5-36), as only all-rounder Lloyd Brock (54) got going in his side's 167 all out.

Great & Little Tew 6, Bicester & North Oxford 25.

Oxford 2nd came out on top of their grudge match at Horspath by three wickets with one ball to spare.

Put in to bat on a damp pitch, Horspath fought their way to 199-8 thanks to skipper Robbie Eason's 62 and 41 from opener Chris Penner's 41.

Tim Marcon (55) then gave the Oxford reply a solid foundation, and although Ben Cook wheeled away for 22 overs to finish with 3-55, Chris Thomas (55no) saw his side to 202-7.

Horspath 10, Oxford 2nd 25