IAN Evans provided the star turn as Oxford beat Banbury by 40 runs to reach the Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup final.
The spinner took 5-9 in just three overs to end Banbury’s hopes of a county triumph.
Jamie Perkin led the way for Oxford with 27 in their 119-8 off 20 overs. Ollie Wright and Nathan Hawkes picked up two wickets apiece.
Banbury subsided to 79 all out in 15.4 overs, Lloyd Sabin their top-scorer with 13.
Chris Sandbach backed up Evans’s fine bowling, with four catches on the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Oxford will now take on hosts Aston Rowant in Sunday’s final at 2.30pm.
Before that, at 10.30am, Oxford face Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts in the Wilf Bennett Trophy final – the Oxfordshire Cricket Board’s District Cup competition.
Oxford were handed a walkover by Cumnor in their semi-final.
Nondies beat Oxford Downs by 28 runs in the other semi.
In a match reduced to 18 overs due to Downs’ late arrival, Nondies made 130-9, with James Holton hitting 36 as James Soppit took 3-24.
Downs were then bowled out for 102 with Matt White (4-12) and Mark Strong (3-14) doing the damage, despite Daryl Johnson making a valiant 40.
RESULTS BERNARD TOLLETT OXFORDSHIRE CUP Semi-final Oxford 119-8 (20 ovs), Banbury 79 (15.4 ovs, I Evans 5-9).
WILF BENNETT TROPHY Semi-finals Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 130-9 (18 ovs, J Holton 36, J Soppit 3-24), Oxford Downs 102 (15.4 ovs, D Johnson 40, M White 4-12, M Strong 3-14).
Oxford w/o Cumnor.
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