Banbury sustained their second consecutive defeat in the Home Counties Premier League after an eight-wicket thrashing by rivals Oxford at Whitepost Road.
Losing the toss Banbury were inserted on a pitch offering some assistance to the bowlers. Banbury were soon in trouble, Chris Smith the first to go with the score on 6, edging behind to Angove and in the very next over Paul Taylor was run out to leave the home side on 7 for 2.
Craig Haupt (38) and Mark Rorich (11) temporarily halted Oxford but Rorich and Danny Harding followed in quick succession off Angove and Rupert Evans respectively, to leave Banbury struggling on 60 for 4. Haupt was next to go caught at the wicket by J Evans off Nambiar and it was only Calum Taylor with a battling 39 not out that prevented Banbury being rolled over for a really low total. They eventually finished their innings when Jimmy Phillips was out in the 46th over with the total on 144. Angove finishing with figures of 4 for 68 and wily old fox, Rupert Evans, 3 for 12.
Oxford had no problems with the Banbury attack in reply. Adam Cook (73 not out) and Jobson (35) playing positively in an opening stand of 89 and Oxford lost only two wickets in quickly overhauling Banbury’s low total.
The crushing eight-wicket defeat leaves Banbury with lots of thinking to do before next weeks home clash with Reading and need to regroup if they are to get their title challenge back on track.