An inspired bowling change by skipper Rupert Evans secured Oxford a dramatic last-over victory at home to Banbury on their Division 1 debut on Saturday.
Banbury's Paul Hill
With Banbury's last pair determinedly hanging on for a draw, Evans took himself off and brought on fellow off-spinner Adam Cook.
The move brought dividends. From the fourth ball of the final over. Banbury's No 10 Paul Hill pushed forward at a Cook delivery only to watch in dismay as the ball spun and knocked off the bails.
The Oxford players were jubilant at having secured a 40-run victory, as for much of the contest, Banbury appeared to hold the upper hand.
But the visitors, following a breakthrrough by five-wicket paceman David Angove, lost their last five wickets in 11 overs to be all out for 166 in reply to Oxford's 206-7.
"I brought on Adam because he spins it more than I do, and it paid off," explained Evans afterwards.
Having been promoted to the top flight this season, Oxford look like making a strong challenge for the title, because of the strength in depth and the range of options Evans has at his disposal.
After choosing to bat first on a St Catherine's Coillege pitch of slight uneven bounce, Evans watched in dismay as new recruit Stewart Laudat was bowled fifth ball by former England left-arm seamer Paul Taylor.
With his late inswing, Taylor posed problems for all the batsmen. Pat Jobson and Shahbaz Ali also fell cheaply, so the early part of the innings was held together by Keith Mustow.
The left-hander struck eight fours and one splendid hooked six off Taylor while making 47. But when he gave Taylor his fourth wicket with a leading edge catch to wicket-keeper Danny Harding, Oxford were struggling at 70-4.
Cook and Ian Crosby nervously survived until to lunch, when they were 90-4 off 30 overs.
The pair took charge in the 40 minutes afterwards as Banbury's bowling, with Taylor, withdrawn, lost its edge.
Simon Launder, their new signing from Kingston Bagpuize, lost his line, and Crosby, with minimal foot movement. hammered some powerful shots through the offside.
By the time a shower interrupted play, Oxford had reached 142-4. The 49-minute delay reduced Oxford's overs to 58 and Banbury's to 48.
Taylor returned to the attack and soon accounted for Cook for 47, while Crosby's push to extra cover off Hill ended his innings for 49.
The new batsmen struggled to come to terms with the pace of the pitch and some accurate bowling by Taylor, who finished with 5-63, and Hill restricted Oxford to 206-7. Only 56 runs came from the last 17 overs.
Young Banbury opener Chris Smith, preferred to the more experienced Andrew Sabin, pulled Angove for a memorable six.
But the Cornishman gained his revenge by having Smith caught behind and then bowling Banbury skipper Craig Haupt who played all around a straight one.
At tea, Banbury were 38-2 off 12 overs, but newcomer Richard Kaufman, formerly of Essex 2nd, restored their fortunes with the help of Ian Tew and ex-Buckingham player Steve Beck.
The visitors needed 103 for victory off the last 20 overs with seven wickets in hand. Things looked bleak for Oxford when Mustow dropped Kaufman off a skier on the boundary, and the Banbury man hit Cook's next three balls for four.
But after Kaufman played on to Cook for 46, trying to cut a straight delivery, Oxford were back in the hunt.
Laudat turned the game with two wickets in an over. Wicket-keeper Robbie Eason caught Mark Rorich one-handed, while Taylor was bowled off stump, trying an injudicious lap shot.
Angove trapped Harding lbw to complete his five-wicket haul to leave the last pair with 11 balls to survive.
Thanks to Evans's switch, they could not do so.
OXFORD
S Laudat b Taylor...0
K Mustow c Harding b Taylor...47
P Jobson c Kaufman b Taylor...11
Shahbaz Ali lbw Taylor...0
A Cook c Harding b Taylor...47
I Crosby c Rorich b Hill...49
I Evans not out...22
R Eason c Haupt b Hill...11
P Evans not out...6
Extras...13
Total (7 wkts, 58 ovs)...206
Fall:1-0, 2-55, 3-63, 4-71, 5-151, 6-167, 7-197.
Bowling: Taylor 21-4-63-5, Launder 9-1-49-0, Rorich 7-1-31-0, Murrey 4-2-4-0, Hill 16-3-41-2, Tew 1-0-11-0.
BANBURY
I Tew c Crosby b P Evans...25
C Smith c Eason b Angove...13
C Haupt b Angove...7
R Kaufman b Cook...46
S Beck b Angove...24
M Rorich c Eason b Laudat...21
O Murrey lbw Angove...2
P Taylor b Laudat...4
D Harding lbw Angove...4
P Hill b Cook...3
S Launder not out...0
Extras...17
Total (all out, 47.4 ov)...166.
Fall: 1-25, 2-36, 3-76, 4-121, 5-141, 6-155, 7-159, 8-160, 9-166.
Bowling: Angove 16-3-45-5, Laudat 7-0-20-2, R Evans 8-0-21-0, P Evans 8-0-30-1, Cook 8.4-2-44-2.
Oxford 25pts, Banbury 5
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