ECB 50+ County Championship

OXFORDSHIRE blew a great chance of victory as they lost by one run to Warwickshire in their opening Group 4 clash at Kenilworth.

Needing two runs to win with ten balls remaining, Adrian Manger was run out after being sent back by non-striker Micky Pond.

Manger had batted well for his 39 and he and Pond looked to have saved Oxon, who collapsed from 148-6 to 150-9.

But disaster struck when Manger turned a ball from Duncan Gardner to leg, believing a single to be on.

Warwickshire were restricted to 163 all out after chosing to bat, with Richard Cooper top-scoring on 31 off 45 balls.

Micky Thomas, Keith Arnold and Alex Cunningham took two wickets apiece, while there were three run-outs – a statistic almost matched by Oxon, who provided two.

The visitors’ reply began well, led by top-scorer Cunningham, whose 45 featured eight fours.

Manger came to the crease at 70-3 and almost steered Oxon home.

Grahame Wilde was the pick of the Warwickshire attack.

Oxon’s second match is against Gloucestershire at Great & Little Tew on Wednesday.

The other sides in their group are Wales, Worcesteshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire.