OXFORDSHIRE'S Bruce Ellison made an unbeaten 92 on the first day of his side's Minor Counties Championship game with Devon at Thame yesterday.

But the Oxford opener was overshadowed by the visitors' Nick Folland, who smashed a sparkling century.

Folland, unquestionably the finest batsman in the country at this level, made 123 off 121 balls out of his side's 233-2 dec from 50 overs after they had batted first.

In reply, the home side made relatively slow progress against some testing seam bowling, but a late spurt saw them to 217-2 in 58 overs.

At the close, Devon were 16-1 in their second innings, veteran seamer Keith Arnold trapping Gareth Townsend leg before.

Ellison, who faced 172 balls for his runs, lost opening partner Charlie Knightley with the score on 27.

But he received good support from Ben Thompson, batting at No 3 in place of the unavailable Stewart Laudat.

The 17-year-old Horspath skipper was out to a quite outstanding catch at midwicket just one run short of what would have been his maiden half-century for Oxfordshire.

Bicester and North Oxford's Rob Williams then made a run-a-ball 47 not out, bringing up the second batting bonus point with a towering six that smashed the windscreen of team manager Alan Crossley's car.

Devon, who had won the toss, were 128-2 from 38 overs at lunch, with Arnold the pick of the home attack.

But former Somerset star Folland set about the Oxon bowling after the interval, 103 runs coming off just 12 overs as the reigning Minor Counties champions bagged maximum batting points. DEVON

First Innings

G Townsend c Curtis b JonesM-I32KA Small c Brooks b SavinM-I10KN Folland c Knightley b CurtisM-I123KA Pugh not outM-I58KA Hele not outM-I2K ExtrasM-I8K Total (3 wkts, 50 ovs)...233

Fall: 1-21, 2-102,3-220.

Bowling: Savin 9-2-43-1, Arnold 13-1-51-0, Evans 13-0-55-0, Jones 14-2-66-1, Curtis 1-0-12-1.

Second Innings

G Townsend lbw ArnoldM-I6KA Small not outM-I8KN Folland not outM-I0K ExtrasM-I2K Total (1 wkt)...16

Fall: 1-12.

Bowling: Arnold 3-1-6-1, Curtis 3-1-8-0.

OXFORDSHIRE

First Innings

B Ellison not outM-I92KC Knightley c Hele b WarrenM-I5KB Thompson c Townsend b SmallM-I49KR Williams not outM-I47K ExtrasM-I24K Total (2 wkts, 58 ovs)...217

Fall: 1-27, 2-140.

Bowling: Donohue 5-4-4-0, Bond 15-3-50-0, Warren 13-4-50-1, Roebuck 11-1-40-0, Coupe 7-0-25-0, Small 3-0-24-1, Pugh 4-0-14-0.

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