OXFORDSHIRE, with six new faces, got off to a great start in this year’s Middleton Cup campaign with success over Buckinghamshire at Oxford City & County.

The hosts ran out 124-116 victors, securing a 16-6 points triumph.

The rinks of Mark Charlett and Paul Sharman both won comfortably.

Kidlington’s Melvin Brain, making his debut, had a storming game with Sharman, helping Oxon to a 25-13 victory.

The final winning rink was that of Ian Snowdon who, despite being ten shots up after ten ends, found themselves level at 20.

However, they picked up the vital shot on a close measure for a deserved victory.

Mark Sykes’s four were seven shots ahead on ten ends, but they conceded a six and four on ends 18 and 19 and were beaten.

Ray Gaskin’s rink lost by eight shots, and Will Parker’s side went down by 12, but it could not stop Oxfordshire from recording a great start ahead of this weekend’s clash with Berkshire at Suttons BC on Saturday.

Rink Scores

(Oxon rinks first)

Rink 1: M Nash, K Holloway, S Cooper, M Charlett 29; A Litchfield, J McAndrew, P Seymour, D Savage 9.

Rink 2: S Watts, M Brain, B Lambourne, P Sharman 25; G Reid, M Gomme, R Lee, G Smyth 13.

Rink 3: I Kibble-White, K Alder, AJ Docherty, W Parker 17; N Harvey, J Seagrove, D Ross, R Reid 29

Rink 4: H Beall, T Prew, I Henwood, R Gaskins 13; N Farnish, T Room, A Briden, J McGuinness 21

Rink 5: J Abercrombie, P Mabbutt, G Schwab, M Sykes 19; T McGuinness, B Long, P Levitt, D Simpson 25.

Rink 6: P Lopez, P Comley, N Rae-Welsh, I Snowdon 20; C Kirk, T Godman, M Drage, K Smith 19.

OXFORDSHIRE’S attempt to win a first Junior Home Counties League title was hit by a 69-36 loss to Berkshire at Thatcham.

RESULT

Berks U25s 69 (10pts), Oxon U25s 36 (0) (Oxon skips first): C Gilkes 12, K Mallandain 17; D Leighfield 8, BJ Byles 26; S Cooper 16, D Hancock 26.

OXFORDSHIRE’S under 25 team are in the White Rose regional finals at Croydon on June 19, having secured their place with a 44-30 win over Bucks at Waddesdon.

Oxfordshire face Hampshire, while Berkshire play Kent, with the winners playing off for a place in the national final at Leamington.

Oxfordshire Under 25 team: D Swanson (Watlington), B Squires (West Witney), S Watts (Watlington), C Gilkes (capt, Watlington), O Bennett (Carterton), J Wilkinson (B Borough), D Leighfield (C Norton), S Cooper (Watlington). Res: H Alder (West Witney), B Dickson (Woodstock).

A WIN for Howard Watts’s four proved key as Oxfordshire beat Surrey at Croydon in the Balcomb Trophy.

RESULT

Oxon 43, Surrey 34 (Oxon rink scores): J Abercrombie, P Sharman, R Gaskins, M Sykes drew 19-19; S Watts, I Snowdon, M Charlett, H Watts won 24-15.

FRIENDLY RESULTS

Oxfordshire 121, Somerset 116 (Oxon rink scores): S Tolhurst, C Haley, B Jarvie, C Weller lost 14-21; B Willoughby, J Jarvis, M Morris, A Hall won 22-14; C Lewis, J Stephens, K Williams, P Latter lost 9-36; P Demczak, M Oliver, J McGeough, J Lucas won 31-16; A French, R Slater, B Bloomfield, I Whelpton won 22-12, M Cameron, D Wright, R Barnet, A Ley won 22-17.

Oxfordshire 112, E Civil Service 115 (Oxon rink scores): B Willoughby, L Eltringham, D Bullock, J Lucas lost 16-17; C Haley, G Weedon, B Jatvie, A Hall lost 17-25; S Tolhurst, J Stephens, A Wase, P Latter won 22-21; P Demczak, T Gripe, J O’Shea, I Whelpton lost 16-20; M Cameron, J Timms, P McGrath, M Brain won 18-16; C Lewis, M Jones, J McGeough, A Ley won 23-16.