Oxfordshire completed a hat-trick of wins in the Middleton Cup with a 138-109 victory over Sussex at Oxford City & County.

The 18-4 points success keeps Oxon top of Group 2B South, and victory over nearest rivals Kent at Maidstone on Saturday will put them in to the quarter-finals.

In difficult conditions against Sussex, caused by a swirling wind, Oxon led throughout.

Mark Sykes’s rink of Calvin Carpenter, George Schwab and AJ Docherty ran out the day’s biggest winners with a 29-9 success.

Alan Prew’s side of Keith Holloway, Ian Henwood and Richard Redford were pegged back slightly, but still ran out 26-16 winners.

On the end rink, Ian Snowdon’s team of Dean May, Shaun Claridge and Craig Nicoll pulled away gradually against skip Ollie Ovett to triumph 25-14 – a win which virtually made the game safe with three rinks still playing.

Mark Charlett’s four of Mick Nash, Gary May and Nathan Lewis struggled for consistency and despite a second-half revival, including a seven on the 16th end, were beaten 32-20.

Baden Sparkes again suffered the agony of being beaten with his last bowl.

Having just lost out with a brilliant last shot against Hampshire a fortnight ago, he played a perfectly-weighted wood at the death this time round, but again narrowly failed to achieve a winning result.

Three shots instead of the intended five meant a 19-18 loss for his side of Rob Pink, David Clanfield and Robbie Clanfield.

Paul Sharman’s side of Lee Young, Andy Martin and Barry Lambourne came from behind to get back on terms.

Level going into the last end, the Sussex lead drew shot, which stayed until Sharman’s final bowl when he drove the jack to the edge of the rink for a single and a 20-19 win.

Oxfordshire 138 (18pts), Sussex 109 (4)

(Oxon rinks first)

Rink 1: R Pink, D Clanfield, Ro Clanfield, B Sparkes 18, T Roberts, J Smith, D Anderson, K Woodcock 19.

Rink 2: L Young, A Martin, B Lambourne, P Sharman 20, D Cornell, B Crittle, P Morgan, D Dyer 19.

Rink 3: K Holloway, I Henwood, R Redford, A Prew 26, G Geddie, M Patching, D Nye, D Richardson 16.

Rink 4: AJ Docherty, G Schwab, C Carpenter, M Sykes 29, G Jackson, D Schofield, M Page, M Bonner 9.

Rink 5: M Nash, G May, N Lewis, M Charlett 20, P Saunders, C Dyer, K Cheetham, M Heitzman 32.

Rink 6: D May, S Claridge, C Nicoll, I Snowdon 25, T Sayers, S Godfrey, A Southgate, O Ovett 14.

OXFORDSHIRE take on Berkshire in the National County Top Two Fours competition regional final for the Balcomb Trophy at Winchmore Hill on Sunday.

Oxon: K Holloway, R Redford, C Carpenter, M Sykes; AJ Docherty, N Lewis, P Sharman, H Watts.