The heavens showed little mercy across the division this weekend, washing out all but one fixture. But while the covers stayed on elsewhere, Oxford Downs made the most of their opportunity, and they now sit joint top of the table.
Hashan Rathnayake did his best to secure some points for Great Brickhill with a measured 68, but it was all in vain as the umpires pulled stumps after 47 overs with conditions deteriorating at Henley.
No other ball was bowled around the Home Counties.
Oxford Downs, though, seemed to be living in a different climate.
Slough posted 110-6 from their 28 overs; a total built largely on Saad Khan. The right-hander struck 47 not out from 70 deliveries, clipping two fours and a six in an innings that underlined what’s been an exceptional 2026 campaign. Averaging just over 80 across five innings, with two half-centuries and a century already to his name, Khan is quietly making a case for being one of the batters of the season, sitting just behind Oxford Downs’ own Freddie Smith in the run-scoring charts.
The Downs’ bowling attack, led by Brock and Costley, kept a lid on things well. Both men picked up two wickets apiece, and between them they restricted Slough to a total that, while respectable, looked gettable. With the D/L calculation kicking in, Oxford Downs were set a revised target of 116 from 28 overs.
Maslen (34) and Watts (27) shared the load, with Maslen the more aggressive of the pair. The two suggested that the run chase was never really in doubt. Oxford Downs knocked off the target with five wickets in hand and nine overs to spare.
With all other teams watching from the pavilion, they’ve knicked 13 additional points which no other team were given the option to. That could prove crucial come the end of the season. Joint top, and momentum building. Oxford Downs will take that.
