OXFORDSHIRE came within a whisker of defeating Berkshire in an ultimately dramatic Minor Counties Championship match at Banbury yesterday.

The Western Division leaders were left clinging on at 194-9, almost 300 runs adrift of the near impossible victory target they had been set.

Left-arm spinner Nat Wat-kins took 5-55 to spearhead Oxon’s victory push.

Berkshire looked fairly comfortable on 134-4 with an hour and ten minutes to play, but Oxon kept battling and almost forced a memorable win to cap a match they had dominated from the outset.

Resuming day three on 194-3, Oxon lost Richard West early on before Jamie Perkin and Jonny Cater set about a 128-run partnership.

Perkin was stumped for 96 as he targeted his third century in four Championship innings, having smashed seven fours and four sixes.

To many, this may have seemed a good point to declare, with a lead of 462.

But Oxon batted on and Cater passed 50 before clatter of wickets saw them belatedly call a halt on 352-9 for a lead of 488.

Berkshire needed to score at almost seven runs an over to have a chance – and they certainly were not looking to press the accelerator.

Chad Keegan gained the initial breakthrough to remove Michael Roberts.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, Berkshire reaching 99-4 at tea.

Captain Bjorn Mordt and Craig Crowe made solid progress to 134-4, with the draw now looking odds-on.

Then a magnificent diving reflex catch by Cater off young spinner Watkins removed Mordt and gave Oxon renewed hope.

Twenty minutes later it was 148-6 as Daniel Rowe trapped Craig Crowe lbw, but time and overs were running out.

The drama continued as Carl Crowe was also out leg before, having left a ball from Watkins.

This left Berkshire on 166-7 with eight overs remaining.

Stewart Davison edged one to slip off Watkins and it became 172-8 with five overs left.

The tension heightened as Watkins collected his fifth wicket to dismiss former Hampshire and England spinner Shaun Udal, but Luke Beaven and Tom Parsons batted out the last three overs from Keegan and Watkins to secure the draw.