IC3 Home Counties: A direct hit from Adam Cook gave Oxford a thrilling three-run victory at Potters Bar - and completed a Houdini escape act for Rupert Evans's team.

Oxford seemed doomed to defeat when Division 1 relegation candidates Potters Bar, needing 157 to win, stood at 123-4.

Then Amit Suman took two wickets in successive balls.

Philip Evans was brought back and claimed three quick wickets to leave the home side on 146-9, before Cook delivered the coup de grace.

Philip Evans finished with figures of 5-34 and Amit Suman 3-33.

Earlier, Oxford struggled on a wet pitch, despite an opening stand of 50 between Johhny Nambiar and Pat Jobson. OXFORD

P Jobson c Brown b T Coughlan...46

A Nambiar c Brown b Lamb...26

I Evans c&b Lamb...10

A Cook c Brown b Hackett...2

I Crosby b T Coughlan...23

C Charlesworth c McGee b T Coughlan...0

A Suman c Norman b T Coughlan...0

P Evans not out...17

R Adams c Cooper b McGee...4

S Rana c O Coughlan b T Coughlan...11

R Evans c Norman b T Coughlan...4

Extras...13

Total (all out, 59.4ovs)...156

Fall: 1-50, 2-74, 3-95, 4-99, 5-113, 6-113, 7-122, 8-147, 9-149.

Bowling: Cooper 7-2-20-0, Hackett 21-4-54-1, Lamb 7-1-26-2, T Coughlan 16.4-5-37-6, McGee 8-1-14-1.

POTTERS BAR

M Palmer b P Evans...15

N Lamb lbw Suman...0

P Brown c Nambiar b P Evans...19

O Coughlan c Crosby b P Evans...56

L Cooper lbw R Evans...9

J Norman b Suman...21

D Breeze b Suman...40

A Norman c&b P Evans...13

T Coughlan b P Evans...0

J Hacket not out...8

P McGee run out...0

Extras...11

Total (all out, 59.1ovs)...153

Fall: 1-1, 2-30, 3-39, 4-50, 5-123, 6125, 7-133, 8-133, 9-146.

Bowling: Suman 19-9-33-3, Charlesworth 8-5-10-0, P Evans 10.1-1-34-5, R Evans 18-5-43-1, I Evans 3-0-12-0, Cook 1-0-10-0.

Potters Bar 7pts, Oxford 25