Oxford opened their Division 1 campaign in an exciting draw at Welwyn Garden City on Saturday.

Fortunes fluctuated in a well-contested match, which ended with Welwyn 17 runs short of victory, with three wickets standing.

Winning the toss, Oxford added 34 for the first wicket before Jason Harrison was caught behind.

Chris Sandbach and Stewart Laudat added 44, the latter going on to make 44 before being bowled by Jamie Southgate as Oxford reached lunch at 111-4 of 33 overs.

Afterwards a partnership of 111 between Raj Sharma (60) and Graham Charlesworth (47) took Oxford to 212 before both fell in succesive overs.

A quick-fire 24 from 17 balls from Stuart Hole took the visitors to 260- 9 from their 66 overs, Southgate finishing with 5- 94 from 26 overs.

Welwyn lost early wickets and after 13 overs were in trouble at 38-3.

Former Oxfordshire all-rounder Jamie Hewitt (84) and Southgate (55) took the score to 133 of 36 overs.

With 128 needed off 18 overs, Southgate was caught by Laudat off the bowling of Rupert Evans.

Aaron Laraman and Hewitt added 67 in 14 overs before Laraman was caught on the boundary by Sharma off Hole in the 49 over.

Hewitt departed in the same over, going for a big hit.

Simon White struck two big sixes in 28 from 16 balls before the innings closed at 244-7.

Hole finished with 4-64 for Oxford, who had a point deducted for a slow over rate.