The promotion race in MP Sports Cherwell League Division 2 will enter the final weekend with four teams still in with a chance of reaching the top flight.

Morning leaders Banbury 2nd – the only member of the quartet to have played in Division 1 before – lost by 27 runs to third-placed Tiddington, and so were replaced at the top by Great Brickhill.

Abingdon Vale, in fourth, are still within ten points of what seems sure to be the second promotion place.

Will Cooper was Tiddington’s hero at Banbury, notching exactly 100 in his side’s 198-8.

Oxfordshire seamer Ashley Blanchard, who did not play in Banbury’s first team due to work commitments, led the way with the ball, finishing with 5-62 from his impressive 16-over spell.

Banbury were in with a chance of clinching the win that would have guaranteed them a top-two finish while Nathaniel Gregory (72) was at the crease.

But Sam Hollingshead blocked up one end to take 3-67 and Paul Pykett picked up 3-32 as the home side were bowled out for 171.

Banbury 2nd 6pts, Tiddington 25

Abingdon Vale kept their promotion hopes alive when they beat Aston Rowant 2nd in a low-scoring match at Hales Meadow.

The visitors made just 78 as Graham Charlesworth (4-26) and Paul White (3-7) exploited the favourable conditions.

Rowant’s total would have been even lower had Adam Cossins not contributed 40.

Chris Eaton took 4-31 to make Vale sweat, but Tim Chilvers’s unbeaten 43 saw them to 82-5.

Abingdon Vale 25pts, A Rowant 2nd 5

Banbury Twenty collected only their second win of the season when they thrashed fellow strugglers Sandford St Martin by eight wickets.

Sandford skipper James Risbridger was made to regret his decision to bat first as Keith Arnold took 5-24 from 18 overs to dismiss them for 125. Only a brisk 39 by Chas Taylor brightened the gloom.

John Wright then spanked 74 not out as Twenty reached 129-2 with ease.

Banbury XX 25, Sandford St Martin 3

There was a tight finish at Challow & Childrey, where both sides came close to victory but had to settle for a draw.

Wolverton Town were bowled out for 172 after the start had been delayed by rain. Olly Dimbylow took 4-33 from 15 overs before David Slade claimed 5-48 off 13.4.

A shower reduced Challow’s reply to 33 overs, and they were in contention while Ian Demain (64) and Pat Bryan (31) were together.

But the reduction in overs forced them to take risks against Wasim Fayyaz (3-38) and Hakim Khan (3-59), and they came up short on 160-9.

Challow 10, Wolverton Town 16

Great Brickhill stayed on course for promotion by beating Long Marston by five wickets to go top.

Marston could muster only 107 against Nick Tweed (5-42) and Julian Blackwell (5-24), only Mick Lyons (35) Andrew Pierce (36) getting going.

James Beesley’s 4-24 gave Marston a glimmer of hope, but Arran Aris hit an unbeaten 32 to see his side to 108-5.

Great Brickhill 25 Long Marston 6