Oxfordshire crashed out of the Minor Counties Cricket Association Trophy at the second-round stage yesterday when they lost in a bowl-out to Dorset.

Richard Kaufman

The home side cruelly went down in cricket's equivalent of the penalty shoot-out after heavy rain washed out their game at Challow & Childrey.

It was especially galling for Oxon, as they had set a formidable target of 260-4 from their 50 overs.

Bowling at three stumps on an artificial wicket, Dorset hit five times to the hosts' three.

For the record, Darren Cowley missed twice for the visitors, David Kidner hit once from his two attempts, Joe Wilson and Sean Walbridge both hit twice and Glyn Treagus missed.

For Oxfordshire, who lost the bowl-out toss and had to go second, Simon Launder hit once, Stewart Laudat once, Giles Peddy once, Adam Cook missed with both tries and Rob Williams was also unsuccessful.

Oxfordshire do not have a great record in bowl-outs.

They famously lost one to Surrey at The Oval's indoor centre in 1991 when their NatWest Trophy first-round tie was washed out.

Before the rain came, Charlie Knightley had top-scored with an unbeaten 109 from just 108 balls, including four sixes and ten fours.

He put on 193 for the fourth-wicket with Rob Williams, rescuing Oxon after a wobbly start.

Williams was out just four runs short of his century, but Knightley passed three figures in a whirlwind finish to the Oxon innings.

The last five overs saw 58 runs scored, with Knightley plundering 21 from the final one bowled by Treagus.

Earlier, Leicestershire's Rob Cunliffe was out for just ten in his first game for Oxfordshire since 1993.

Cunliffe was the second man to go, falling to a brilliant running catch with the score on 24.

And when Banbury's Richard Kaufman went in similar fashion 12 runs later, Oxon were in deep trouble at 36-3.

Knightley and Williams got the innings very much back on track, but all their good work proved in vain as the weather intervened.