OXFORDSHIRE fought back after a disastrous start to their Unicorns Counties Championship campaign against Wiltshire at Great & Little Tew yesterday.

Fifteen wickets fell on a dramatic first day of the Western Division match, even though nearly two hours playing time was lost to the weather.

After being shot out for 95, Oxon hit back to reduced the visitors to 91-5 at the close on a great day for seam bowling.

Oxon fielded four championship debutants in their young side and they were soon struggling after choosing to bat first, following a short delay for rain.

Tom Condon, one of the new boys, and Lloyd Sabin added 30 for the first wicket before the hosts lost five wickets for 11 runs in a disastrous collapse.

Four of these fell to seamer James Amey, who dismissed Richard Kaufman, skipper Jonny Cater and Joe White for a single run between them.

Delray Rawlins, one of two recruits brought in from Sussex, and Harvey Eltham soon followed as Oxon crashed to 55-7.

Aston Rowant’s Hendrick Robyns, another debutant, provided the one bright spot of the innings with a hard-earned top score of 21 off 50 balls.

But Oxon were unable reach three figures, with Amey returning the remarkable figures of 4-17 in 16 overs.

But it was not long before the visitors were struggling themselves.

Will Rooney and Abidine Sakande, the second Sussex recruit, made the most of the helpful conditions to reduce Wiltshire to

52-5.

But in the extra half-hour added due to the rain delay, their sixth-wicket pair of Jacob Lintott and Ashur Morrison took the visitors to within four runs of their opponents total.

To make up for the lost time, play will start today at 10.30.

For the first nine overs, Oxfordshire scorer Chris Cox stood as square leg umpire, following the late arrival of David Browne.

Cox, a qualified umpire, used to stand in the Cherwell League, but has not officiated for about six years.

“Luckily I was not called upon to make a decision,” said Cox before returning to the

scorebox.