A BRILLIANT century by Richard Kaufman put Oxfordshire in a strong position after the first day of their Western Division match against Wales at St Edward’s School yesterday.

Kaufman’s hundred, plus half-centuries from skipper Jonny Cater, Tom Condon and Gareth Andrew took the host to 377 all out from their 90 overs.

By the close, Wales had reached 54-3 off 17 overs in reply.

Oxon got off to a bad start, losing Harry Smith and Ollie Clarke cheaply to the bowling of Ben Roberts.

But Condon and Kaufman added 78 for the third wicket before the former was trapped lbw for 52.

Kaufman then dominated a fourth-wicket stand of 88 with Cater, before falling for a sparkling 101 made off just 118 balls, with 18 fours.

After Callum Russell departed cheaply, Cater and Andrew, maintained the momentum, putting on 85 before the captain was out for 71 – the first of three run-out victims. He batted for 154 balls and hit six fours.

Andrew, fresh from his 14 wickets and half-century against Dorset, scored 59 from 97 balls, while Owyn Tong-Jones added a lively 43 from 41 deliveries to lift Oxfordshire to 377.

The hosts then took charge by taking three wickets in the last hour.

Two of them, including the valuable one of Brad Wadlan, were snapped up by Clarke, who had impressive figures of 2-0 from three overs.