A SUPERB late charge from skipper Luke Ryan could not prevent suffering a three-run defeat to Berkshire in their Unicorns Trophy Group 1 match at Wargrave yesterday.

Chasing a victory target of 258 Oxon slumped to 186-7, still needing 73 from the last eight overs.

But Ryan launched a huge assault that brought Oxon right back into the picture, with ten needed from the final over.

Six runs came off the first five balls, but Ryan failed in his attempt to score a boundary from the final delivery, leaving Oxon on 254-9.

Ryan struck 45 off 26 balls with seven fours and a six, but saw his side slip to their second defeat in two games.

Earlier Ryan had taken 4-43 as Berkshire, who chose to bat first, made 257-8 in their 50 overs.

The start to Oxon's reply could not have been worse with Hugo Darby and Lloyd Sabin falling in the first three balls – Sabin for his second golden duck of the weekend.

They were brought back into the game by a fighting 89 off 121 balls from opener Richard Kaufman and a run-a-ball half-century from George Munsey, who had earlier had to leave the field with a back injury.

They paved the way for Ryan's heroics, which were to end in glorious failure.