Horspath skipper Will Eason is looking to his improving side to shock visitors Banbury in Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 1 tomorrow.

Eason's side gave the north Oxfordshire outfit a scare in the season's opener when they bowled them out for 121 on a poor pitch, only to then be skittled for 59 themselves.

"Like the first game of the season we are not expected to win, so the pressure is completely of us," he said.

"We gave them a bit of a scare at their place and hopefully we can do that this time around."

Teenage batsman Harrison Ward and experienced all-rounder Pat Foster are back for Horspath after school commitments – as a player at St Edward's and a teacher at the Dragon respectively.

Steve Green and Tom King drop down to the 2nd XI.

Lloyd Belcher faces up to five weeks on the sidelines after breaking a finger.

Banbury are without batsman Lloyd Sabin, who is on holiday, and Tom Bartlett also drops out with Jimmy Phillips and Ian Tew returning.

Oxfordshire seamer Will Rooney is on holiday and misses Oxford's quest for their first win of the season when they visit Tring Park.

Freddie Simon and John Barrett come back into the 12.

Captain Ian Crosby is hoping last week's battling draw at home to Burnham will give his side a lift.

He said: "We have got to take it as a positive and use it to spur us on. We need to get some wins."

Meanwhile, Michael Bates, who joined as player-coach at the start of the season, has signed for Somerset for the rest of the campaign.

Crosby said: "Obviously it's not ideal for us, but we can't be selfish. The bloke is a professional cricketer and needs to earn a living and it's good news for him."

TOMORROW'S TEAMS

Horspath (v Banbury, home): Ward, R Eason, Cutter, Phillips, Cutter, Mould, Price, Davies, Foster, W Eason (capt), Krol.

Banbury (v Horspath, away): Darby, Paine, Tew, West, Briggs, E Phillips, Ryan (capt), Blanchard, Penhale, Wright, J Phillips.

Oxford (v Tring Park, away): from Laudat, Perera, Clough, Carters, Crosby (capt), Barrett, Davies, Mendis, Morgan, Sutherland, Eltham, Simon.