A poor batting display saw Oxfordshire Under 15s crash to a 124-run defeat against Gloucestershire in their ECB County Cup Group 6 match at Banbury.

Their superb performance in the field had given cause for optimism as Oxfordshire produced a tidy display to restrict their visitors to 187-9 from their 50 overs.

Sam Robins took Gloucestershire opener Liam O’Doherty for a duck, and wickets fell at regular intervals throughout the visitors’ innings.

Jamie Coles was the pick of the Oxfordshire bowling, his seven overs going for just nine runs, while he also took two wickets.

Lloyd Sabin’s spin also proved difficult for Gloucestershire to tackle.

Although wicketless, Sabin’s spell of ten overs yielded just 20 runs.

Having restricted the visitors to a below-par score, hopes would have been high of reaching the target.

But the wheels came off in Oxfordshire’s reply.

Sabin, who has been in tremendous form, fell for four, and with Ross Barratt and Matt Taylor also falling cheaply, Oxon found themselves 9-3.

Wickets continued to tumble, and at 33-8, they were on the brink.

Some late-order resistance from Matthew Warner and Josh Megson just delayed the inevitable and Oxon were bowled out for 63 in 22.4 overs.