OXFORD escaped with a draw at home to Banbury in Saturday's fiercely-contested Home Counties Premier League Division 1 derby clash that had almost everything.

Both sides had opportunities to win, although that looked remote for Oxford when they were 78-7 and 127-9 in the first innings.

In a dramatic climax, Banbury, finished on 173-8 in pursuit of their target of 178.

There was exciting batting in windy conditions, superb seam bowling from Banbury's Paul Taylor and even the potential for a fight between Oxford veteran Rupert Evans and Craig Haupt!

The match looked to have finally swung back to Banbury when they needed 12 off two overs with five wickets in hand.

But Jaimie Noble and Luke Ryan, who had batted superbly after coming together at 89-5, got a little greedy and the latter was run out going for a sharp second.

The victory target was seven from the final over, but Noble was then caught by Ravi Sharma, running in from third man, off the bowling of Joe Porter.

Ryan Newhook quickly followed, and ultimately this left Ian Hawtin needing six off the final ball.

He could manage only a single and an intriguing low-scoring game ended as a draw.

Earlier, Banbury inserted Oxford after winning the toss.

Oxford, for whom only Graham Charlesworth made top-order runs, looked down and out when Pat Jobson fell to Ed Smith just after lunch.

That made it 78-7 and even making three figures wasn't guaranteed, but they showed the benefits of having a strong tail.

The highlight was a 50-run last-wicket partnership between Jack Brooks and Rupert Evans, which was comfortably a league record for the club.

Brooks showed plenty of control to top-score on 38.

Having seen his son Philip make a decent 16 before being controversially adjudged caught, Rupert Evans went eight better.

His morale-boosting knock included a classic pulled four off Taylor, who proved Banbury's outstanding bowler.

The former England seamer used the stiff breeze to good effect in his impressive 4-34 and deserved a five-wicket haul.

While Taylor has undoubted pedigree, Haupt was a surprise choice to bowl first change.

But he conceded just 12 runs in nine tight overs, and then produced a superb diving catch to dismiss Joe Porter at second slip.

Banbury began their reply at a canter. Captain Benji Hector and Haupt reached 43-1 off ten overs.

But the introduction of Rupert Evans, who bowled unchanged to the end, and Charlesworth stemmed the flow and Banbury stuttered to 61-1 at tea.

After tea, Oxford did their best to unsettle their visitors with skipper Jason Harrison twice claiming close-range catches off Rupert Evans's bowling.

The first looked a better shout and such was Evans's frustration that he squared up to Haupt, who he felt should have walked.

The pair had to be separated, but Oxford got their breakthrough when Haupt was caught for 31 by Ian Crosby, after mis-timing a drive off Charlesworth.

Hector soon followed, lbw to Rupert Evans for 37, while Simon Hole went to Brooks.

Young spinner Francois Vainker bowled Taylor with his third ball to make it 89-5, and suddenly the match had turned again.

This brought Ryan and Noble together - and, but for Ryan's rush of blood, they may well have won it.