Oxfordshire must defeat Cumberland at Challow & Childrey on Sunday to keep their MCCA Trophy qualification hopes alive.

That is the view of captain Ian Hawtin, whose side lost their opening match at Bedfordshire last Sunday.

Hawtin has made three changes to the team with Oxford all-rounder David Smith replacing the unavailable Daniel Rowe for his debut.

Top-order batsman Chris Sandbach (Oxford) and spinner Luke Ryan (Banbury) come in for Jack Brooks and Paul McMahon, who are also unavailable.

Hawtin said: “If we want to qualify from the group, then we’ve got to win this game.

“Our batting is boosted by the changes, but our bowling will be a bit weaker as we are missing Brooks and Rowe in the seam department.

“That is why we have picked David Smith, and will also look to get a few overs from Damien Shirazi and Craig Haupt.”

Cumberland are likely to include Gary Pratt, who, as a substitute fielder, famously ran out Ricky Ponting during the 2005 Ashes.

“He is the only one I know about, although we did play them at Workington last year,” said Hawtin.

With only the top two teams qualifying for the quarter-finals, another defeat would leave things very difficult for Oxfordshire.

But victories against Cumberland, Cheshire and Shropshire should be enough for Oxon to progress.

Hawtin said: “We had the worst of the wicket last week. At the beginning the bounce was very uneven.

“I thought we did extremely well to get to 277.

“At the end of the day, we were beaten by one man (Northants-contracted Alex Wakely), who batted very well.

“Without him, they wouldn’t have got near our score.”

Oxfordshire (v Bedfordshire, away): Hawtin (capt, Banbury), Shirazi (Banbury), Kaufman (Old Northamptonians), Haupt (Banbury), Hawkes (Stony Stratford), Shahbaz Ali (Banbury), St Hole (Oxford), Smith (Oxford), Sandbach (Oxford), Ryan (Banbury), Gilbert (Oxford).

Seamer Graeme Cessford gets a chance to impress when Oxfordshire take on Oxford University in the Parks on Monday (11).

Oxford’s new signing, who is in the RAF and played for Chester-le-Street in Durham last season, is included for the limited overs friendly.

Oxford’s Ian Crosby and Aston Rowant’s Alex Jewell also come in to the squad, with Oxon set to use all 12 players.

Oxfordshire: Shirazi (Banbury), Sandbach (Oxford), Crosby (Oxford), Shahbaz Ali (Banbury), Hawtin (capt, Banbury), Jewell (Aston Rowant), Ryan (Banbury), McMahon (Wollaton), Cessford (Oxford), Gilbert (Oxford), Kaufman (Old Northamptonians), Smith (Oxford).