Tempers frayed during the second day of Oxfordshire's Western Division match against Shropshire at Shrewsbury yesterday.

There had been controversy surrounding lbw decisions on the first day - with umpire Malcolm Miller, in his first Minor Counties game, at the centre of the dispute.

And when play finally got under way at 2pm yesterday after a rain delay, with Shropshire resuming on 181-4 in reply to Oxon's 200, the ill feeling between the two sides resurfaced.

Oxfordshire paceman Keith Arnold was at the centre of the dispute after switching ends - when he experienced problems with a wet run-up - to bowl at the end Miller was stand- ing.

Shropshire appeared to claim he changed ends on purpose, and with the players arguing, the umpires took them off the pitch to allow the ground to dry out.

They returned for nine minutes, before rain once again forced them off.

However, they were back on 20 minutes later and Oxfordshire's bowlers slowly worked their way through the Shropshire order.

Richard Lynch bowled James Ralph with the score on 223, and four runs later Arnold had Duncan Catterall caught behind by Oxon skipper Ian Hawtin.

Guy Home was then clean bowled to become Arnold's fourth victim.

Debutant off-spinner Dickon Morris got in on the act, having Jono Whitney caught by Stuart Hole, before tempting Mark Robinson down the pitch to present Hawtin with a stumping.

With Shropshire chasing 325 for a fourth batting point, Oxon had the satisfaction of taking the final wicket with the hosts on 323 when Jamie Hewitt had Nick Clewley caught behind.

Oxfordshire made a good start to their second innings with Keith Mustow racing to 32, with seven fours, before retiring hurt after being struck on the finger he damaged against Wiltshire.

At the close, Oxon were 87-0, 36 runs adrift of Shropshire, and with rain forecast for today a draw seems the most likely outcome.