Jonny Cater continued his superb form with the bat making an unbeaten 88 as Banbury made short work of an under strength Oxford side in the National Twenty-20.
Oxford had made a probably slightly below par 144-5 in their twenty overs. With a flat wicket, short boundary one side and strong wind from the Wykham Lane end bowling was not always easy, particularly from the pavilion end. Jimmy Phillips, who bowled from the Wykham lane end, returned Banbury’s best figures, his four overs returning 1 for 13. Jamie Perkin was Oxford’s top batter making 65 before being stumped by Cater off the bowling of Luke Ryan.
Banbury, who promoted Cater to open in the shorter format, got off to the best possible start as Stuart Hole’s first over went for 18 as the Buckingham based ‘keeper savaged the former Warwickshire man through the off side. The highlight of an entertaining over was a six off the front foot over point.
Cater received good support from Ian Tew (16) and Luke Ryan (28*) as Banbury cruised home with 8 wickets and over 3 overs in hand. One
lighter moment came as Ian Tew was dismissed by close friend and very occasional
bowler Ian Crosby. The Oxford captain, forced into action due to the absence of
Mendis, Vainker, Evans and Van Dyke had Tew caught on the deep cover boundary.
Banbury’s reward for a resounding victory is a home tie on Sunday 16th June vs Harefield. Time to be confirmed.