Oxford University batsmen Salil Oberoi and Dan Fox continued their record-breaking form as the Dark Blues took a firm hold on the Varsity Match against Cambridge at Fenner's yesterday.

Oberoi, 222 not out overnight, quickly progressed to 247, the highest ever individual score in the Varsity Match, beating the Nawab of Pataudi's 239 in 1931.

Oberoi and Fox put on 408 for the third wicket, Oxford's highest stand in first-class cricket, beating the 340 made against Middlesex in 1887.

Fox was eventually out for 184, but the Dark Blues' batsmen continued to flourish as they eventually reached a mammoth 610-5 dec.

This was Oxford's highest score in first-class cricket, and the highest total in a Varsity Match, beating Cam- bridge's 604 in The Parks in 2002.

In contrast, Cambridge's batsmen struggled and had stuttered to 54-3 before heavy rain brought an early end to the second day's play.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY

First Innings

(Overnight, 436-2, S Oberoi 222no, D Fox 157no)

S Oberoi c Heywood b Banerjee...247

D Fox c Heywood b Kemp...184

S Daley b Banerjee...12

C Stearn not out...33

P McMahon not out...62

Extras...32

Total (5 wkts dec, 153 ovs)...610

Fall: 1-27, 2-68, 3-476, 4-498, 5-510.

Bowling: Savill 33-6-112-0, Kemp 23-1-86-2, D Heath 14-5-48-1, Banerjee 48-8-181-2, Timms 16-0-75-0, Jacklin 19-2-87-0.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

First Innings

R Timms lbw Suman...0

D Heath not out...24

R Mann b Suman...4

A Singh lbw Morse...3

J Chervak not out...12

Extras...11

Total (3 wkts, 21.2 ov)...54

Fall: 1-6, 2-14, 3-21.

Bowling: Suman 8-4-18-2, Morse 7-2-8-1, McMahon 3.2-0-10-0, Munday 3-1-7-0.