OXFORDSHIRE are just one win away from Lord's after beating holders Norfolk by ten runs in the quarter-final of the MCC Trophy at Challow yesterday.

Having made 244-6 from their 60 overs, Oxon looked to be on their way to a comfortable victory when they reduced the visitors to 2-3.

Norfolk regrouped, however, and were in the driving seat with five overs to go and 31 runs needed with three wickets in hand.

But veteran seamer Keith Arnold, bowling with more fire than he has done for some time, came back to wrap up the tail with the last ball of the 59th over.

It sets up a semi-final showdown with Shropshire, seven-wicket winners over Lincolnshire, at Challow on Thursday, July 30.

Norfolk, who had won the toss and opted to field, made an early breakthrough when Bruce Ellison was caught at square leg in the first over of the day.

Against some tidy seam bowling, wicket-keeper Ian Hawtin and Stewart Laudat made slow progress, putting on 41 for the second wicket, before Hawtin dragged on a wide half-volley.

Charlie Knightley injected some urgency into proceedings and when he was out with the score on 76, skipper Rob Williams continued the good work.

Oxfordshire's first 50 runs had come off 21 painful overs, but their second came in just 11, and, with lunch approaching, they looked like they were wresting back the initiative. However, the dismissal of Laudat just before the interval - caught in the deep off a leading edge - swung things back Norfolk's way.

After the break, Williams, who received good support from youngsters Ben Thompson and Luke List, played superbly to lift his side to a challenging total.

And then Oxon made a dream start when they bowled.

Arnold trapped Carl Rogers leg before in the first over, and then bowled dangerman Steve Goldsmith in his second.

In between, off-spinner Paul Jeacock, in the team after Rupert Evans pulled out with a damaged hand, had Carl Amos caught behind.

Norfolk's three most important batsmen were all out for ducks. They were in desperate trouble and while they had recovered to 78-4 from 25 overs at tea, they were still up against it.

However, half-century partnerships between first Steve Livermore and Paul Newman, and then Neil Fox and Mark Thomas brought them right back into it.

But Thomas sliced the medium pacers of List to Arwyn Jones at deep extra cover and then Arnold raced in to trap Paul Bradshaw and Matthew Boyden in front.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.