Oxfordshire posted a crushing 109-run victory over Bedfordshire as they got their MCCA Trophy campaign back on track at Bedford Modern School.

After an agonising defeat to Hertfordshire in their opening Group 3 match last weekend, victory was crucial for Oxon’s ambitions to progress to the knockout stages.

And they did not disappoint in an excellent all-round display.

The home side won the toss and unsurprisingly put Oxon in on a wicket that looked as though it would offer plenty to the seamers.

And their decision appeared well-founded as Oxon lost three wickets early with Richard Kaufman, Chris Sandbach and Nathan Hawkes falling cheaply.

At 49-3, Oxon were in some trouble, but Rob Williams and David Smith had other ideas.

The pair shared a superb stand of 136 for the fourth wicket, Williams finishing unbeaten on 91 off 113 balls with eight fours.

Smith too looked a class act, scoring 67, his half century coming up off 69 balls with six boundaries.

When Smith fell, Daniel Rowe joined Williams in a breezy unbroken 50-run stand to see Oxon to a formidable total of 235-4.

Bedfordshire got off to a good start in their reply with openers Dan Bendon and Matt Barnes putting on 73 for the first wicket.

But when young off-spinner Jack Taylor had Bendon caught at deep mid-on by Kaufman, that paved the way for a monumental collapse.

Bedfordshire’s last nine wickets fell for just 53 runs, with Taylor taking three wickets and seamer Rowe 4-20 from eight economical overs.

Oxon are in action again on Sunday when they host Herefordshire at Radley College.

Victory there will put them in with a good chance of reaching the knockout stages.