Craig Haupt cracked 112 and spinner Jimmy Phillips claimed 6-72 as Banbury beat Basingstoke & North Hants by 79 runs in a tense last-over finish on Saturday to stay top of the table.
Simon Launder took the last Basingstoke wicket with the fifth ball of the final over to clinch the 25 points and maintain Banbury’s unbeaten record this season.
Batting first, the visitors slipped to 20-2 as openers Andy Sabin and Ian Tew went cheaply, but then Haupt was joined by skipper Richard Kaufman in a superb third-wicket stand of 175.
Haupt’s century came off 120 balls as he dominated the home bowling, while Kaufman made 75 in Banbury’s 297-6 off 62 overs.
Gavin Tonge stuck manfully to his task to take 4-98.
Basingstoke’s reply started promisingly and they were 93-1 at tea.
However, Launder battled hard in the heat to pick up four wickets in unhelpful conditions for seam bowling.
Off-spinner Phillips was the other bowling hero, capturing the six remaining wickets.
He bowled all but three overs from one end and his prodigious turn and subtle change of pace proved too much for Basingstoke, who crumbled to 218 in the evening session.
Phillips finished with splendid figures of 6-72.
BANBURY
A Sabin c Williamson b Tonge…7
I Tew lbw Chandler…7
R Kaufman b Tonge…75
C Haupt c James b Tonge…112
D Harding run out…5
C Taylor not out…39
S Beck lbw Tonge…20
O Murrey not out…18
Extras…14
Total (6 wkts, 62 ovs)…297
Fall: 1-15, 2-20, 3-195, 4-203, 5-227, 6-257.
Bowling: Chandler 17-2-74-1, Tonge 22-2-98-4, Harris 11-0-67-0, D Nurse 2-1-17-0, James 10-1-33-0.
BASINGSTOKE & NH
R Vinn c Kaufman b Launder…46
R Hunter c Haupt b Launder…42
L Nurse c Kaufman b Phillips…4
J Maynard c Launder b Phillips…25
D Nurse lbw Phillips…7
J Govett c Harding b Phillips…19
C Chandler c Tew b Launder…17
N Williamson c Haupt b Phillips…1
M James b Phillips…18
G Tonge c Haupt b Launder…27
K Harris not out…0
Extras…12
Total (all out, 59.5 ovs)…218
Fall: 1-84, 2-97, 3-97, 4-112, 5-136, 6-163, 7-171, 8-179, 9-210.
Bowling: Phillips 25.5.72-6, Hill 4-0-14-0, Launder 16.5-4-75-4, Murrey 6-0-37-0, Kaufman 5-2-8-0, Haupt 1-0-7-0.
Basingstoke 5pts, Banbury 25