CAPTAIN Luke Ryan says title-chasing Banbury will not underestimate rock-bottom Oxford when the sides meet in Division 1 of the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League tomorrow.

The north Oxfordshire club closed the gap to leaders Henley to three points last week after a ten-wicket win at Burnham.

Oxford’s Division 1 status hangs by a thread as they are 60 points from safety, with four matches remaining, and still without a win this season.

Tomorrow marks a change from the timed format to 50-over cricket and Ryan says he is expecting Ian Crosby’s side to put up a strong fight.

He said: “It’s always been a competitive game against Oxford – no matter where either team have been in the table and whether recent form has influenced who is the favourite.

“Both sides seem to raise their game because we know each other so well.

“There is a bit of a healthy rivalry and we are not going there expecting it to be easy – they have got some good cricketers.”

Opener Hugo Darby, who carried his bat for 106 last week, is unavailable and is replaced by Tom Bradbeer.

Ed Phillips is expected to open alongside former Australian Test wicket-keeper/batsman Tim Paine, who posted an unbeaten 152 off 154 balls last weekend.

Horspath will be without unavailable trio Pat Foster, Robbie Eason and Jasper Davies for their trip to third-placed High Wycombe.

Joey Todd, back from playing in Australia, takes over the gloves from Davies, while Kit Cutter will open the batting in place of Eason.

Spinner Lloyd Belcher returns from injury and comes in for seamer Foster.

After last Saturday’s eight-wicket win over Oxford, Horspath are 19 points clear of the bottom two.

However, captain Will Eason believes his side could still need another two victories to preserve their Division 1 status.

He said: “Beating Oxford certainly helped in terms of our ultimate goal of staying up.

“But now we have gone back to the straight win-loss format it does not really give us a huge amount of breathing space.

“We certainly need at least one more win, if not two.”

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Banbury (v Oxford, away): Paine, E Phillips, Sabin, West, Keegan, Ryan (capt), Blanchard, Penhale, Wright, J Phillips, Bradbeer.

Horspath (v High Wycombe, away): Cutter, Ward, Phillips, Mould, Ali, Eason (capt), Price, Skelton, Faruk, Belcher, Todd.