OXFORD MAIL: Banbury were second best in every department as they lost by beaten 118 runs at Reading, who finished only one place above them last season.
After winning the toss, the first hour belonged to the visitors as they removed both Reading openers in the first 13 overs.
But the match swung towards the hosts as David Barr, and newcomer Neil Winspear added 173 in 39 overs for the third wicket, although the former should have been run out on 15.
Winspear rode his luck early on, but also played some fine shots in his unbeaten 169, which came from 155 balls and contained five sixes and 21 fours, and helped Reading top the 300 mark.
Banbury, with 58 overs to get the runs, lost two early wickets.
Paul Taylor and Richard Kaufman shared a third-wicket partnership of 78 in 12 overs.
But Taylor’s dismissal was the first of five wickets to fall in ten overs, including that of skipper Kaufman for 62 – his second successive half-century.
The main beneficiary was spinner Vishi Aeri.
This left the visitors a long rearguard action to avoid defeat.
Steve Beck battled hard, but lost partners at regular intervals as Banbury were dismissed for 192 with 14 overs remaining.
READING
J Perkins c P Taylor b Murray…7
S Shaw lbw Rorich…15
D Barr c Harding b P Taylor…77
N Winspear not out…169
S Patel c Harding b Kaufman…27
V Aeri not out…3
Extras…12
Total (4 wkts, 61.4 ovs)…310
Fall: 1-17, 2-37, 3-210, 4-271.
Bowling: C Taylor 1.2-0-8-0, Murrey 9-4-29-1, Rorich 7.4-2-17-1, Phillips 15-1-82-0, P Taylor 9-0-55-1, Hill 15-1-71-0, Kaufman 3.4-0-31-1.
BANBURY
C Smith c O’Sullivan b McDermott…18
P Taylor c McDermott b Aeri…28
C Haupt c Patel b O’Sullivan…0
R Kaufman c Winspear b Aeri…62
S Beck lbw Aeri…46
C Taylor c Kirk b Aeri…4
D Harding c Kirk b Aeri…2
P Hill c Kirk b Hartley…3
M Rorich c Aeri b Patel…13
O Murrey lbw O’Sullivan…2
J Phillip not out…0
Extras…14
Total (all out, 44.5ovs)…192
Fall: 1-27, 2-27, 3-105, 4-124, 5-138, 6-146, 7-149, 8-181, 9-192.
Bowling: O’Sullivan 8.5-1-23-2, McDermott 7-0-57-1, Liddell 3-0-20-0, Aeri 11-2-43-5, Hartley 11-1-39-1, Patel 4-1-3-1.