OPENERS Tom Coleman and Jimmy Phillips shared a record-breaking double-century partnership as Horspath claimed a resounding 94-run victory at Thame Town.

Coleman hit 109 and Phillips 91 in a brilliant stand of 204, which was the best for any Horspath wicket in the league.

It set the previously winless visitors on the way to 300-4, which also bettered the side’s previous highest score, after they had elected to bat.

Coleman’s runs came off 105 balls and included 15 fours and two sixes, while Phillips’s

92-ball knock featured 11 fours and one six.

They both eventually fell to Andrew Russell, who returned respectable figures of 2-40 from his eight overs in the face of the Horspath onslaught.

Thame were never in the hunt after being reduced to 18-2.

Callum Russell hit 62 off 84 balls and James Adams made 39, before paceman Angus Livingstone (4-61) mopped up the tail as the hosts fell to 206 all out, with Will Eason taking 3-28.

A superb bowling display saw visitors Oxford Downs inflict Banbury’s first defeat of the season.

The hosts still lead the pooled division after the 45-run loss, but their advantage has been slashed to a single point.

They had been looking good for a fourth straight victory after reducing Downs to 45-4.

But Matt Warner led the counter-attack with 62, helped by useful contributions from Curtly Slatter and new skipper Tom Costley to get them up to 171-9.

Banbury passed the 50-mark with the loss of just one wicket, but then ran into trouble.

After Nick Rivett (3-33) removed the top order, Matt Warner (3-28) struck as Banbury slipped from 86-3 to 86-5.

The middle order and tail could only produce a string of single-figure scores as Tom Cosford (3-15) stepped up to leave the hosts 126 all out.

James Coles led the way for Aston Rowant as they thrashed visitors Oxford by 165 runs.

The opener struck 12 boundaries in his 83, putting on 87 for the third wicket with skipper Josh Smith (71).

They built a platform for James Fitzjohn to hit the accelerator late in the innings, with an unbeaten 41 from just 28 balls.

It saw Rowant reach 283-4 from their 40 overs, which always looked a tall order to overhaul for an Oxford side looking for their first win of the season.

Wes Morrick made the challenge even tougher by removing the openers cheaply.

Oxford captain Jamie Perkin resisted with a fine 51 from 52 balls, which included three sixes.

But when he was caught and bowled by Adam Muttitt (4-37), the visitors’ chase came off the rails.

They lost the final six wickets for just 26 runs as Rowant claimed a second successive victory to move joint fourth in the table.