OXFORDSHIRE let slip a winning position as they lost 122-111 to Berkshire in their second Middleton Cup match of the season.

The hosts led by ten shots after five ends, were 11 ahead after ten and a huge 18 up after 15 ends in their South Group Section B clash at Oxford City and County.

But the visitors produced a superb turnaround, and secured a 29-point swing in the closing stages to run out convincing winners and pick up 17 points to Oxfordshire’s five.

Mark Charlett’s rink strugged against Lloyd Sabatini’s four, but were level at 16 ends before defeat in five of the last six saw them lose by five shots.

On the adjoining rink, Howard Watts’s four were ten shots ahead at 15 ends.

They went into the final end three shots to the good, but some ended with honours even.

Baden Sparkes’s four were level after 18 ends, but ended up falling to a six-shot deficit.

Ian Snowdon’s quartet ran out three-shot winners in one of only two victorious Oxfordshire rinks.

The other success came courtesy of Mark Sykes, whose four ran out 16-shot victors, despite losing three on the final end.

However, the biggest winning margin came in rink five, where Oxon’s Paul Sharman was on the end of a 30-11 defeat against Robert Newman.

The three sides in the group to have played twice have all won one and lost one, with the other two teams – Surrey and Buckinghamshire – facing each other this weekend.

Oxon 111 (5pts), Berks 122 (17pts)

(Oxfordshire rinks first) Rink 1: P Lopez, S Claridge, N Rae-Welsh, M Charlett 16; T Moore, C Barrett, D Holder, L Sabatini 21.

Rink 2: K Holloway, P Comley, I Henwood, H Watts 22; A Merry, L Brown, N Gauld, A Knapper 22.

Rink 3: M Nash, A Martin, C Whitehead, B Sparkes 16; D W-Emberton, D Parsonage, G Knapper, A Collins 22.

Rink 4: J Philpott, R Gaskins, G May, I Snowdon 19; A Symondson, M Thornton, N Jones, C Holliday 16.

Rink 5: S Watts, S Cooper, B Lambourne, P Sharman 11; B J Byles, G Ballantyne, J Heapy, R Newman 30.

Rink 6: A J Docherty, G Schwab, R Redford, M Sykes 27; A Piper, R Goodchild, T Broad, R Buckett 11.

  • OXFORDSHIRE beat Isle of Wight 41-40 in a thrilling Balcomb Trophy clash that went to the final wood on each rink.

Thankfully, both shots went the way of the hosts in the men’s double rink clash held at Headington BC.

As a result, Oxon qualify for the regional finals at Croydon BC on Sunday, June 21.

Oxfordshire play Middlesex at 10am and if successful, will play the winners of the Kent v Buckinghamshire match in the afternoon.

Oxfordshire 41, Isle of Wight 40 (Oxon rink scores): AJ Docherty, K Holloway, P Sharman & M Sykes bt S Lewis, P Furmidge, D Griffith & T Meller 21-19; J Philpott, N Rae-Welsh, M Charlett & H Watts lost to B Davies, K Beckett, M Butchers & B Mortlock 20-21.

  • OXFORDSHIRE beat the English Civil Service 100-77 in a friendly match at Enderby BC.

They also defeated Leicestershire 119-113.

Oxfordshire 100, English Civil Service 77 (Oxon rink scores): A Wase, L Eltringham, P Latter & M Morris lost 20-22; R Slater, J Jarvis, T Gripe J O’Shea drew 16-16; K Washington, S Tolhurst, J Martin A Ley drew 16-16; A Smith, E Dorling, G Weedon & J Benfield won 24-13; D Latter, J Timms, J McGeough & I Whelpton won 24-10.

Oxfordshire 119, Leicestershire 113 (Oxon rink scores): A Hunt, C Haley, J McGeough & B Bloomfield drew 18-18; M Cameron, J Stephens, K Williams & A Hall lost 17-18; S Tolhurst, R Slater, A Fleming & A Ley won 29-18; B Willoughby, A Wase, T Gripe & J Lucas lost 17-22; P Demczak, V Webb, M Morris & H Franklin drew 19-19; C Lewis, M Jones, B Jarvie & P Latter won 19-18.