Oxfordshire Over 50s finished their group games with a nine-wicket win against Shropshire at Whitchurch on Wednesday.

The result means that Oxon top their group and secure a home tie in the first round of the knock-out stage of the ECB 50-Plus Championship on August 3.

Choosing to bat first on the same strip used for the three-day Championship match between the counties which finished the previous day, Shropshire soon saw Clive Ricks remove both openers.

Tight spells from the other seamers, and the run-out of Shropshire skipper John Foster, left his opposite number, Phil Garner, to winkle out the lower order.

Shropshire's modest total of 155-8 never looked likely to threaten the strong Oxon batting line-up.

Ian Caunce (53) made his usual aggressive start, striking four huge sixes before being caught on the line, when one short of a century partnership with Paul Tew.

It was then left to Tew and Garner to see the visitors home with an unbroken stand of 57.

Paul Tew struck ten fours including some sumptuous cover drives in his 60, a knock that atoned for the slight blemish of dropping Foster in the first innings.