CAREER-BEST figures of 7-78 from captain Luke Ryan have given Oxfordshire a golden chance of recording their first Western Division victory of the season against Dorset at Bournemouth.

The home county had looked in total command when openers Masoor Khan and Michael Porter took their first innings overnight score of 111 without loss to 209, chasing Oxon’s 262.

But then Ryan prompted a remarkable collapse which saw them crash to 255-8 as they lost all eight wickets for just 71 runs.

Their final score of 280-8 gave them a lead of 18 on first innings, but Oxon were 196 in front by the close with five wickets in hand, having reached 214-5.

Left-arm spinner Ryan grabbed seven of the eight Dorset wickets to fall.

That included Khan, caught behind by Jonny Cater for 102, which contained 14 fours, and Porter caught by Liam Manley at long-on, for 96.

Ryan Scott, Jake Lintott and Luke Webb then perished for the addition of just 16 runs, Chad Keegan getting in on the act by bowling Mark Wolstenhome.

Ryan picked up two more wickets as Chris Park and Mike Kitson were both caught to earn him analysis of 32-7-78-7.

Kitson fell to a stunning piece of fielding on the long-off boundary, Jimmy Phillips stepping over the rope and pushing the ball back into play to complete the catch.

Openers Lloyd Sabin and Hugo Darby put on 49 in Oxon’s second innings before Sabin departed for ten, but Darby and Jamie Perkin saw the 100 up.

Perkin perished for 26, Darby for 48 and Richard Kaufman for 34,Cater and Richard Cook taking the score to 214-5.

Cater was trapped lbw off the first ball of the final over for 55, but Oxon are well placed to break their duck for the season.

Latest Sport news