IN bitterly cold conditions, Oxfordshire 'warmed up' for the forthcoming Minor Counties Trophy campaign with a comfortable five-wicket victory over Buckinghamshire at Kidlington yesterday.

Bucks, who surprisingly won the toss and chose to bat in damp murky conditions, slumped to 50-7 after 26 overs.

Star of the show was seamer Jack Brooks, who made the most of helpful conditions to take 3-23.

Veteran Keith Arnold, 47, now preparing for his 29th season with Oxon, took a miserly 1-9 in his ten-over allocation as Bucks tried to rescue their innings.

A stand of 68 between David Cranfield-Thompson and Dominic Tuohey, who scored freely off Jamie Noble, enabled Bucks to reach the respectability of 143-8 from their 50 overs.

With conditions easing slightly, Noble and Jamie Hewitt, whose 47 came off just 60 balls, gave a flying start to their reply with an opening stand of 68.

Wickets fell rapidly, before Chris Sandbach, who came into the side after Shahbaz Ali withdrew with a hand injury, and skipper Ian Hawtin guided Oxon to victory with nearly 13 overs to spare.

Oxon open their Trophy campaign this Sunday when they travel to play Shropshire at Wem.

SCORECARD

BUCKS

W Miller c Crosby b Newhook10

R Lane c Hewitt b Brooks9

J Harrison c Hawtin b Hewitt10

A Wynd lbw Newhook0

Z Sher c Hawtin b Brooks0

T Brooks lbw Arnold6

D Cranfield-Thompson lbw Brooks49

M Watson lbw Hewitt1

D Tuohey not out38

P Atkins not out8

Extras12

Total (8 wkts, 50 ovs)143

Fall: 1-21, 2-23, 3-23, 4-32, 5-39, 6-39, 7-50, 8-118

Bowling: Brooks 10-1-23-3, Newhook 10-4-22-2, Arnold 10-7-9-1, Hewitt 10-1-32-2, Noble 10-1-54-0.

OXFORDSHIRE

J Noble c Miller b Tuohey19

J Hewitt c Brooks b Tuohey47

C Haupt b Tuohey12

A Cook lbw Watson11

I Crosby c Sher b Tuohey4

C Sandbach not out22

I Hawtin not out15

Extras14

Total (5 wkts, 37.1 ovs)144

Fall: 1-68, 2-73, 3-96, 4-102, 5-103.

Bowling: Brooks 4-2-14-0, Lane 8.1-1-31-1, Sher 8-1-16-0, Tuohey 10-53-4, Watson 7-0-25-1.