Oxford University could field up to five new Blues in the annual four-day University Match with Cambridge University in The Parks, starting on Sunday.

The Dark Blues have included Owain Jones, who has played for Sussex 2nd, Joe Davis, Tom Chadwick, Freddie Fox and Freddie Johnson in the 12, with the final 11 to be decided nearer the day, Coach Graham Charlesworth is expecting an even contest.

He said: “I think they are two well-matched sides.

“They are a good side – they have been for a couple of years now – and I think we are a good side now.”

He is hoping the likes of Raj Sharma and Dan Pascoe, who will be playing for a fourth year, and Sam Agarwal, who is in his third, will make their experience count together with skipper Ben Williams, who has played for Warwickshire 2nd. “You want the experienced players to contribute quite a bit over four days with both bat and ball, and in the dressing room,” he added.

Cambridge are expected to include Surrey’s Zafar Ansari and Warwickshire’s Paul Best.

The Light Blues won last year’s encounter at Fenner’s, while in the clashes between the sides this year, Oxford took the Twenty20 in The Parks and Cambridge the one-day clash at Lord’s.

Admission, as ever, is free.

Oxford Univ: from Agarwal, Jeffrey, Williams (capt), Jones, Sharma, Westaway, Pascoe, Davis, Chadwick, Scott, Fox, Johnson.