Oxfordshire are putting their faith in youth when they take on Bucks, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire at Burnham on Sunday.

With Oxford involved in a Cockspur Cup fourth-round clash against High Wycombe, the county side are hit by a spate of unavailabilities, prompting the selectors to take a look at fringe players.

Jimmy Phillips will skipper the side in the absence of Ian Hawtin, with seven other Banbury players in the 12-man squad.

Hawtin sees it as the perfect opportunity for players to stake their claim for a call-up into the first-team.

"There are a number of players who are unavailable for one reason or another including myself so we are going to play a development side," Hawtin said.

"These players are all knocking on the door of the first team, so it will be a good chance for them to show what they can do.

"They are all good players, and this is a great opportunity for them to get some experience against other good players."

Oxfordshire are not the only side to be hit by the Cockspur Cup clash, with hosts Bucks without any Wycombe players in their side.

Oxon hardly had the best warm-up for the four-team tournament with a comprehensive defeat in The Parks last Friday against Oxford UCCE.

Hawtin says that although the team is vastly different, the county need to put things right from last week.

"We have got to learn from the mistakes we made when we played Oxford UCCE last week, because that game obviously didn't go to plan," he said.

"You have got to bowl the ball in the right places and when you bat, while it is very important to hit boundaries, it is also crucial that you play straight."

Oxfordshire: J Phillips (capt), E Phillips, D Harding, L Ryan, O Murrey, C Taylor, I Tew, P Robins (all Banbury), D Morris (Kidlington), P Stern (Oxford), A Jewell (Bicester & NO), C Watling (Aston Rowant).