Crickett: Ace Kaufman leads Banbury to record

Kaufman surprised Henley by batting through the full 66 overs for a massive total of 341-6, the highest Division 1 score since the league was formed in 2000.

Henley, the defending champions, went for the runs, but finished up on 291-7 in perfect batting conditions.

After Marc Rorich with the score on nought, a second-wicket stand of 149 between Chris Smith and Craig Haupt laid the platform for Banbury's high score.

Kaufman then made hay, reaching his a century off just 103 balls.

Zimbabwe's Test leg-spinner Brian Murphy was Henley's leading wicket-taker but proved expensive,with 3-115 off 21 overs.

Henley adopted a positive attitude and, thanks to Chris Ellison's rapid century off 109 balls and good support from Bjiorn Mordt, were at one stage on course to go really close.

But the cheap loss of potential match-winner David Taylor ended their hopes, despite a fluent half-century from newcomer Tauseek Qadri.

Of the Banbury bowlers, Jimmy Phillips was the most successful, but like Murphy before him, he conceded a century of runs on a dream day for batsmen.

BANBURY

C Smith b Murphy...59

M Rorich b Taylor...0

C Haupt b Murphy...76

R Kaufman not out...103

P Taylor c France b Murphy...2

J Wolstenholme c Murphy b Ellison...23

D Harding b Ellison...17

O Murrey not out...22

Extras...39

Total (6 wkts, 66 ovs)...341

Fall: 1-0, 2-149, 3-181, 4-195, 5-271, 6-299.

Bowling: Sana 14-4-40-0, Taylor 12-1-68-1, White 8-0-42-0, Murphy 21-0-116-3, Qadri 2-0-22-0, Ellison 9-0-40-2.

HENLEY

C Ellison b Phillips...104

J France b Taylor...0

B Mordt c Harding b Murrey...76

B Murphy c Haupt b Phillips...22

D Taylor c Harding b Phillips...5

T Qadri not out...62

M Richards c & b Phillips...7

D Allaway lbw Ryan...2

D White not out...7

Extras...6

Total (7 wkts, 54 ovs)...291

Fall: 1-4, 2-153, 3-190, 4-210, 5-227, 6-241, 7-248.

Bowling: Launder 9-0-43-0, Taylor 11-0-66-1, Ryan 5-1-17-1, Wolstenholme 4-0-29-0, Phillips 19-1-102-4, Murrey 6-0-29-1.

Banbury 14, Henley 9

Oxford, boosted by another sparkling innings from Stewart Laudat, dominated their Division 1 West match at Basingstoke on Saturday, but just failed to pull off a deserved victory.

The last Basinstoke pair played out the last three overs to earn their side a draw, finishing on 184-9 in reply to Oxford's total of 291-3.

Oxford reached lunch at 101-0 off 38 overs thanks to a solid opening partnership between Ian Evans and Adam Cook.

Cook eventually fell seven runs short of a well-deserved hundred.

But then Laudat, who hit a century the previous week, destroyed any chance Basingstoke had of the winning the game with a magnificent unbeaten 96 off 64 deliveries, playing shots that many people only dream of.

The visitors batted their full quota, fearing that Basingstoke batsmen would also flourish on what was a magnificent batting track.

Oxford started with the old ball and veteran off-spinner Rupert Evans soon made in-roads into the Basingstoke top order.

He bowled another magnificent spell to finish 5-47 off 28 overs, with support from Laudat.

But Oxford were unable to finish the last pair off.

OXFORD

A Cook c Williamson b Chandler...93

I Evans c Hunter b Pavesi...68

S Kaudat not out...96

S Mendis c & b Tonge...18

I Crosby not out...4

Extras...18

Total (3 wkts, 66ovs)...291

Fall: 1-155, 2-204, 3-259.

Bowling: Tonge 16-4-34-1, Chandler 14-4-67-1, Govett 9-0-60-0, Harris 16-5-47-0, Pavesi 11-3-36-1.

BASINGSTOKE

L Nurse c I Evans b R Evans...6

I Maynard c I Evans b R Evans...25

R Hunter c Crosby b Laudat...18

C Chandler run out...2

D Nurse c Mendis b R Evans...82

N Williamson c I Evans b Laudat...1

A Neal c Cook b Laudat...4

G Tonge lbw R Evans...22

J Govett b R Evans...8

R Pavesi not out...7

K Harris not out...6

Extras...5

Total (9 wkts, 60 ovs)...184

Fall: 1-10, 2-39, 3-43, 4-59, 5-71, 6-87, 7-146, 8-170, 9-171.

Bowling: R Evans 28-11-47-5, I Evans 10-2-23-0, Mendis 6-1-13-0, Williams 2-0-22-0, Fox 2-0-12-0, Halim 2-1-8-0, Cook 1-0-2-0.

Basingstoke 6pts, Oxford 15