ABINGDON Vale’s Cherwell League Division 2 relegation fears increased as they crashed to a 50-run defeat at home to fellow strugglers Didcot at Hales Meadow on Saturday.

Didcot’s win took them off the bottom of the table, leaving Vale just 30 points above the bottom two with four games remaining.

Aiden Kammel struck an enterprising 59 from 62 balls, his knock containing seven fours and two sixes, as the visitors reached 181 all out.

Spinner Jonathan Jenkinson finished with superb figures of 6-49 in 13.2 overs and youngster Tom Price ended with 3-26 from seven.

Abingdon openers Amith Premkumar (40) and Price shared 48 for the first wicket, but fell in quick succession to leave Vale on the back foot.

Herald Series:

Sam Moore is congratulated after taking a fine catch on her first-team debut for Abingdon

A clatter of four wickets for 18 runs followed, leaving Vale reeling at 88-6, Ian Demain finishing with 4-41 from 11 overs. Vale never recovered as the lower order subsided to leave them 131 all out and staring over their shoulders at the chasing pack in the relegation battle.

Challow & Childrey fell to a two-wicket defeat at home to leaders Horspath 2nd, with visiting captain Adam Krol taking an impressive six-wicket haul.

Krol claimed 6-50 to help restrict Challow to 216-9 in their 53 overs, Justin Penrose hitting 55 and Alex Lynch 41.

In reply, Dominic O’Connor struck 57 and Joey Todd 52 to lead Horspath to a thrilling victory with just one ball remaining, Ryan Gordon claiming 5-60.

Blewbury & Wallingford crashed to a 113-run defeat at home to Cublington in Division 3.

Pip Webb hammered 137 in Cublington’s 264-7 dec, Alan Bowman taking 5-86.

Mark Carey hit 45 in reply for Blewbury, who subsided to 151 all out.

Kingston Bagpuize retained their hopes of avoiding relegation from Division 4 after seeing off visitors Bletchley Town by 16 runs.

Tom Scrase (34) and Mikey Piper (33) helped Kingston to 159 all out in the 43rd over,. But an excellent spell with the ball from Arthur Verdin helped them claim victory, taking 6-31 as Bletchley fell to 143 all out.

Abingdon Vale 2nd claimed a credible draw at Division 5 leaders East Oxford.

Batting first, Vale set 208-8 as Paul Butcher hit 48 and Sammy Lion-Cachet 41.

But they were unable to push on for victory as Altaf Ali chalked up 88 not out, with the hosts hanging on at 166-9.

James Smith smashed a brilliant 169 for Challow & Childrey 2nd, but in vain as hosts Horley 2nd held on comfortably for a draw in their Division 6 clash.

Smith’s mammoth knock helped Challow to a massive 309-7 declared, but despite giving themselves six extra overs to bowl at the home side, they could not force victory.

Half-centuries from Nigel Leach (58no), Richard Hart (56no) and Perera Moon (55) saw them comfortably hold on to close on 237-5.

Didcot 2nd’s crushing 194-run defeat at home to leaders Banbury 4th ensured the gap at the top stretched to 53 points.

The visitors amassed 307 all out, Dan Bartlett hitting 65, before Didcot crumbled to 113 all out.

Prasad Kankadandi (76) headed an impressive batting display as Didcot 3rd scored 222-4 against Oxford Downs 3rd in Division 8.

But Downs secured an exciting two-wicket win, thanks to Tom Ling’s 59. Didcot’s Dave Allen followed his innings of 44 with three wickets.