OXFORDSHIRE’S hopes of making an impact in the new Unicorns Counties T20 competition ended when they suffered their second double defeat in two days.

After losing twice to Herefordshire in Sunday, this time it was Shropshire who extended Oxon’s poor run at Shrewsbury.

In two one-sided Group 2 contests, the visitors went down by 61 runs and six wickets.

In the first match, the hosts, inserted by Jonny Cater, put on an opening stand of 73 from Jack Edwards and Will Parton.

Richard Kaufman (3-22) took centre stage as Oxon took four quick wickets to leave Shropshire on 108-4.

But Ryan Lockley (36) and Simon Gregory (30) helped them post

175-6 from their 20 overs

Oxon soon slumped to 27-3 and never really recovered.

Cater top-scored with 40 off 34 balls as his side mustered just 114 in reply.

They tried something different in the second game by choosing to bat first.

But the batsmen again struggled, with Cater again the highest scorer, making 42 from 31 balls.

No other Oxon player reached 20 and with the last five wickets falling for nine runs, they were all out for 112 in 19.5 overs.

Shropshire got off to a flying start in reply thanks to Parton’s rapid 43 from 21 balls.

They were hauled back by an excellent spell of 2-18 in four overs by young seamer Joe Butcher.

But they still got home by six wickets with nearly five overs to spare to complete Oxon’s misery.