Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League

Oxford captain Jason Harrison is delighted to get a crack at derby rivals Banbury so early in the season.

The two sides clash at White Post Road in Division 1 on Saturday with Banbury yet to complete a league game, but their skipper, Ian Hawtin, is unfazed.

Harrison, who names an unchanged team, said: “Playing strong teams at this stage of the season is what it is all about.

“We are looking forward to this as much as Banbury are. I am sure it is going to be keenly contested.”

Richard West replaces opening batsman Chris Smith as Banbury’s only change, with Damian Shirazi (school commitments) still unavailable.

Hawtin said: “These games are always competitive. I think everybody knows each other.

“We have been happy with our pre-season, so we are ready for this.”

Oxford opened their campaign with an impressive five-wicket victory over Radlett despite rain reducing the match to 85 overs.

Harrison added: “I thought as a group we played as well as we have done since I have been at the club.

”In the past, we have gone with two spinners and two seamers, but with Rupert retiring, we went with three seamers and it worked well.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but it was exciting to see how the guys are progressing.”

Promoted Aston Rowant play their first home game in Division 1 when they entertain Harpenden, who won Division 2 East last season.

While Rowant came close to beating Potters Bar last week, Harpenden saw their match with Banbury abandoned.

Thame Town will look to go one better than last week when they host Finchampstead in Division 2 West.

They needed just one more wicket to beat Beaconsfield last week after an excellent bowling and fielding display.

SATURDAY’S TEAMS

Banbury (v Oxford, home): West, Tew, Haupt, Hawkes, L Sabin, E Phillips, Ryan, Hawtin (capt), Blanchard, J Phillips, Gutheridge.

Oxford (v Banbury, away): Sandbach, Harrison (capt), Laudat, Ferraby, Mehmood, Crosby, Hole, J Evans, Mendis, Van Dyk, P Evans.

Aston Rowant (v Harpenden, home): from Morgan, Jewell, Todd, Watling, Morrick (capt), Lyon, Lewis, T Needham, Penhale, Humphreys, Dutton, Leaney.

Thame Town (v Finchampstead, home): from Beard, P Patel, Higgs, Lachlan (capt), Bhatti, Damania, Parmar, S Patel, Jeffcock, Chowns, Rooney, Layton.