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BANBURY and Oxfordshire spinner Luke Ryan could miss the rest of the season due to a finger injury.

The in-form left-armer was hurt as he gathered a caught and bowled chance during Banbury’s defeat to High Wycombe last week.

Initially the finger was too swollen to X-ray, but later analysis revealed Ryan will be out for at least six to eight weeks.

Banbury and Oxon captain Ian Hawtin said: “Luke has been playing really well. This is a big blow for Banbury and Oxfordshire.

“We have been a bit unlucky with injuries at Banbury because Nathan Hawkes and Luke Radford are out for the season and now Luke will miss part of it.”

Batsman Sam Cheshire replaces Ryan for Banbury’s Division 1 trip to Falkland tomorrow.

Batsman Jamie Perkin and all-rounder Stefan Van Dyk return for Oxford’s match at Tring Park, but seamer Brad Sutherland is unavailable.

Captain Jason Harrison was delighted with Oxford’s focus in last week’s victory over Bishop’s Stortford, but admits they have a bogey to overcome.

“We only batted for 58 overs against Bishop’s Stortford, which was probably the fewest for a declaration since I have been here,” said Harrison. “It showed our intent.

“In the last few years, Tring have got the wood on us at their ground.

“We have not quite mastered their track, but the way we are playing, we will go into the game full of confidence.”

Horspath captain Robbie Eason said their Division 2 West derby at home to Thame Town would be like an old school reunion.

Batsman Ned Murray comes in for Dean Creed, while fellow seamer Ceri Holmes is added to the squad.

Eason said: “Lots of us used to go to school together at Lord Bills and Adam Krol and Andy Wynd used to play for Thame.”

He added that the match would be a tribute to the late John Fulkes, who played a big role developing youth cricket in Thame and Oxfordshire.

“Hopefully, we are going to play for a memorial cup on an annual basis,” said Eason.

Batsmen Ed Barnett and Charlie Beardle replace Nilesh Patel and Ed Goggs for Thame.

Vice-captain Michael Higgs, another former Lord Williams’s School pupil, said: “It is a game that John Fulkes would have been proud of.”

As for the table, which is very tight at the bottom, Higgs added: “It is just nerve wracking. You never feel safe.”

Banbury (Falkland, away): L Sabin, Hawtin (capt), Haupt, Shahbaz Ali, Tew, West, Cheshire, Shaw, Blanchard, E Smith, J Phillips.

Oxford (v Tring Park, away): from King, Harrison (capt), Laudat, Ferraby, Barrett, Perkin, Crosby, Mendis, I Evans, Van Dyk, Geeson-Brown, Usman Arif.

Horspath (v Thame Town, home): from O’Connor, Murray, R Eason (capt), Phillips, Hutchison, Wynd, Krol, Mohammed, W Eason, Rana, Jeacock, Holmes.

Thame Town (v Horspath, away): Neilson, Mi Higgs, Bhatti, P Patel, Parmar, S Patel, Barnett, Beardle, Lachlan (capt), Rooney, Desai.