Oxfordshire's new-look side made a flying start to their EBA Middleton Cup campaign with a resounding 131-98 victory over Hampshire in their opening Group 3B game at Banbury Central.

With new manager Calvin Carpenter recalling seven players to the line-up, Oxon dominated the clash from the early exchanges.

They raced into a 36-14 lead after five ends, kept up the pressure to surge 81-33 ahead after ten before completing an emphatic win over the second half of the match.

Oxon won on three of the six ends and drew on two others.

Mark Sykes’s four of Keith Holloway, George Moon and Jason King led the way with a crushing 26-8 victory over skip Charlie Bailey, having led 16-2 after ten ends.

Former captain Baden Sparkes’ side of Andy McIntyre, Mike Petersen and Robbie Clanfield were also in sparkling form, brushing aside Leo May’s rink 24-14.

Howard Watts’ quartet of Shaun Claridge, Nathan Lewis and Richard Redford were Oxon’s third winners, beating skip Russell Morgan 18-12.

Oxon came close to a clean sweep of wins with two rinks sharing the spoils and Alan Prew’s side losing by one shot.

Mark Charlett’s side of Mick Nash, Sammy Timms and Colin Whitehead let slip a ten-shot lead after ten ends as they drew 22-22 against Peter Ward’s rink.

New captain Greg Moon’s four of John Philpott, Barry Lambourne and Nick Rae-Welsh were also involved in a titanic tussle with skip Chris Thresher before finishing all square at 18-18.

Prew’s side of Andy Wise, Paul Sharman – making his Middleton Cup comeback after 22 years in the wilderness – and Stuart Richens suffered Oxon’s only defeat, going down 24-23 to Chris Daniels’s rink.

The Oxon four led 17-9 after ten ends, but their Hampshire opponents came back strongly to snatch victory.

Oxon will be looking to make it two wins out of two when they visit Surrey – who went down 121-114 to Middlesex last weekend – on Saturday, June 13.

The match has been switched from Mid Surrey BC to Shirley Park BC, Croydon.

Oxon 131 (18pts), Hampshire 98 (4) (Oxon rinks first) Rink 1: A Wise, P Sharman, S Richens, A Prew 23; M Hutley, C Patterson, C Martin, C Daniels 24.

Rink 2: J Philpott, B Lambourne, N Rae-Welsh, Gr Moon 18; J Keat, J Bright, A Anderson, C Thresher 18.

Rink 3: A McIntyre, M Petersen, R Clanfield, B Sparkes 24; J Marlow, R Kemp, P May, L May 14.

Rink 4: S Claridge, N Lewis, R Redford, H Watts 18; M Squires, L Pope, G Starks, R Morgan 12.

Rink 5: K Holloway, Ge Moon, J King, M Sykes 26; K Philip, D Bishop, B Starks, C Bailey 8.

Rink 6: M Nash, S Timms, C Whitehead, M Charlett 22; D Tomberry, C Cranham, J Marsland, P Ward 22.