Oxfordshire lost a thrilling ECB 50+ county clash with Gloucestershire at Cumnor yesterday, going down by just two runs in a thrilling finish.

Tight bowling from Roger Busby and Steve Merry kept Gloucester in check after they won the toss and batted first, but some useful middle-order knocks, led by former Oxford Times sports editor Dick Tugwell, took them to a score of 178-6 from their 45 overs.

Tugwell top-scored with an unbeaten 45.

Oxon looked dead and buried when they crashed to 66-8 in reply, but Andrew Wingfield Digby and Dave Lewis put on 99 for the eighth wicket to take them to the brink of victory.

Wingfield Digby then fell for 54 and despite a brave effort from Lewis (50 no) and Steve Merry, Oxon fell two runs short at 176-9 at the close.

GLOUCESTER

L Daniels b Busby...7

A Sadler lbw Busby...5

H Clifton c Fenn b Merry...17

H Johnson b Merry...35

G Clarke lbw Merry...27

M Davis not out...33

M Oakes b WIngfield Digby...1

R Tugwell not out...45

Extras...8

Total (6 wkts)...178

Fall: 1-10, 2-19, 3-50, 4-77, 5-105, 6-107.

Bowling: Busby 9-4-17-2, Wingfield Digby 9-3-13-1, Jeffries 8-0-48-0, Merry 9-2-31-3, Garner 5-0-23-0, Bateman 5-0-40-0.

OXFORDSHIRE

C Wakefield b Daniels...14

A Moss c Clarke b Fisher...9

P Garner c Clarke Fisher...0

G Neilson c Davis b Daniels...0

P Fenn b Tugwell...7

B Jeffries b Davies...0

C Bateman lbw Tugwell...5

R Busby c & b Tugwell...12

R Wingfield Digby c Davis b Gorick...54

D Lewis not out ...50

S Merry not out...7

Extras...8

Total (9 wkts)...176

Fall: 1-18, 2-26, 3-26, 4-26, 5-27, 6-36, 7-49, 8-66, 9-165.

Bowling: Gorick 21-1-1-0, Fisher 9-3-19-2, Daniels 8.5-1-29-2, Tugwell 9-2-27-3, Clake 4-0-29-0, Oakes 4-0-11-0, Gorick 8-1-5-1.