Archive

  • Football: United to try out new boys

    Oxford United manager Denis Smith expects to give both Lee Jarman and Chris Porter a run-out in the team's opening pre-season friendly at Havant & Waterlooville tomorrow. And for former Wales Under 21 captain Jarman, it could be an important test.

  • Cricket: Shipton v Buckingham

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Leaders Shipton-under-Wychwood just hung on for the draw at Buckingham, but still extended their lead over Banbury XX and Thame, who are now level in second place. Buckingham's Steve Beck scored a superb 75,

  • Golf: Club theft ends Booth's Open bid

    Witney Lakes professional Mark Booth's bid to qualify for this week's Open Championship at St Andrews came to a premature end when he had his clubs stolen. Booth had left the clubs in his car overnight following a first round 78 in the qualifying competition

  • Cricket: Rover Cowley v Cumnor

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Stewart Laudat's magnificent unbeaten 162 was the high point of a superb day's cricket at Rover Cowley in which over 550 runs were scored at a total cost of just eight wickets. Electing to bat first, Cumnor totalled

  • Review: The Irrepressible Churchill (Robson Books, 9.99)

    Long before New Labour, Sir Winston Churchill made the soundbite his own, as Kay Halle shows in The Irrepressible Churchill (Robson Books, 9.99). Halle, a US journalist, spent 30 years in frequent company with Churchill and her collection of his contemporaries

  • Review: Blood, by Joseph Glass (Macmillan, 9.99)

    A psychic female psychologist isn't a character normally found in crime fiction, writes Sam Pope. Yet Joseph Glass, a pseudonymn for a New York Times bestselling author, has written his second book featuring heroine Dr Susan Shader, a forensic psychologist

  • Row over Web trust scheme

    A company set up to improve consumer trust in the Internet is refusing to join a Government-backed scheme to boost e-commerce. TrustUK, launched on July 18, is an industry-backed body aiming to give people the confidence to buy on-line. But Oxford company

  • Cricket: Stokenchurch v Aston Rowant

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3c Stokenchurch struggled to 137-7 against Aston Rowant 2nd as Hugh Scott made an unbeaten 43 and Ryan Dutton claimed 4-36. Rowant also found runs hard to come by, holding out on 79-8. **Stokenchurch 13, Aston

  • Cricket: Moreton v Oxford Nondescripts

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3a Oxford Nondescripts 2nd made 144-9 at Moreton-in-Marsh, with Jack Woodley scoring 57, as Richard Morgan took 5-42. Malik captured 4-27 in restricting the home side's reply to 126-8. **Moreton 14, Oxford Nondescripts

  • Cricket: Wolverton Tn v, Long Marston

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3c Long Marston comfortably overtook Wolverton Town 2nd's 181-7 to win by seven wickets. Mick Stanton (74) and Colin Rightley (49) led the way for Wolverton, while Marsden hit 64 not out in Marston's reply of 185

  • Cricket: Tiddington v Aylesbury

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3c Aylesbury, who were in the top flight not long ago, kept up their promotion push by beating leaders Tiddington by five wickets. Tiddington's 209-6 was not enough as Aylesbury, who stay in second place, eased

  • Cricket: Cumnor 2nd v Rover Cowley 2nd

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3a Rover Cowley 2nd passed Cumnor 2nd's target of 164 with six wickets in hand thanks to Ed Welch scoring an unbeaten 59 and despite Dave Evans's spell of 4-45. Peter Burt (52) top-scored for Cumnor, who struggled

  • Cricket: P Risborough v Oxford 2nd

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3c Princes Risborough saw off Oxford 2nd, who made 169-6 thanks mainly to Julian Lawton Smith (48) and Andrew Moss (39) with Gary Evans taking 3-55. Paul Strong then struck 62 and Matt Adams 35 as Risborough replied

  • Cricket: Thame v Oxford Nondescripts

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Thame got back on track with a two-wicket win at Oxford Nondescripts for whom Ian Mead scored 79 in a total of 177. Steve Merry (4-47) was the pick of the bowlers. Skipper Rob Brooks then struck 48 and James

  • Cricket: Wallingford v Abingdon Vale

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3a Wallingford's 118 all out didn't appear too much of a target, until that is, Abingdon Vale were dismissed for 76 in reply. On a day dominated by the bowlers, Vale's Paul White took 4-20 and Andy Johnson 3-24

  • Cricket: Challow & Childrey v Leighton Buzzard

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Challow & Childrey sent bottom club Leighton Buzzard crashing to an eight-wicket defeat. Put in to bad, Leighton were shot out for 55 all out as Dave Moore recorded season's best figures of 6-9 from 16 overs

  • Swimming: Kidlington reach final

    Kidlington and Gosford juniors achieved their goal of reaching the Milton Keynes Division 2 League final by finishing second in their gala at Bicester. Eight individual and relay victories enabled Kidlington to edge ahead of Ealing and Wellingborough.

  • Cricket: Kingston Bagpuize v Oxford Downs

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Kingston Bagpuize paid the price for dropping Ian Caunce as they lost by eight wickets to Oxford Downs. Caunce took full retribution in making an otherwise chanceless unbeaten 109, which took them to 190-2. Earlier

  • Crime: South Oxfordshire

    Crime statistics for the South Oxfordshire area The low violence rates in South Oxfordshire make it the safest place in the Thames Valley Police area, which covers the three counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Just 4.5 people per 1,000

  • Architects draw together

    The Oxford Architects Partnership is merging with Modus Architects from Bristol to form a new firm with more than 30 staff and two practices. Oxford Architects Partnership has worked on projects for several colleges, including the new Hertford College

  • Row over Web trust scheme

    A company set up to improve consumer trust in the Internet is refusing to join a Government-backed scheme to boost e- commerce, writes Maggie Hartford. TrustUK, launched today, is an industry-backed body aiming to give people the confidence to buy on-line

  • Hallam hits a high note

    Oxfordshire's top music man has become chairman of a national organisation. Richard Hallam, director of music for the county council, has been elected chairman of the National Association of Music Educators. He has had a successful career as a freelance

  • Seat-belt check on danger drivers

    Parents who put their children's lives in danger in cars have horrified road safety campaigners. In a major safety campaign targeting seat-belt use they found women driving with their children unrestrained in the back seats and mothers with children on

  • Robbery ends in car chase

    Police launched a high-speed chase through an Oxfordshire village after a man robbed a building society office. Eynsham area beat officer Pc Simon Harbour pursued the Ford estate getaway car while the Thames Valley Police helicopter hovered overhead.

  • Driver in 80mph chase locked up

    An 18-year-old driver led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen van, a court heard. Michael Parry, of Columbia Way, Grove, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, having no insurance, taking a vehicle without consent and aggravated vehicle-taking

  • Kassam's joy

    Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam was today celebrating the removal of the last major hurdle in the club's long battle to finish the half-built stadium at Minchery Farm, writes Jon Murray. And he believes building work at the ground could resume in

  • Police falter in crime fight

    Just one in every five crimes committed in the region is solved by Thames Valley Police, writes Emma Henry. But the three county police areas of Oxford, south Oxfordshire and north Oxfordshire have all notched up significant successes in the war against

  • Bumper barbecue

    Face-painting, a bouncy castle and a chance to see friends and neighbours in the stocks were on offer at an open day at an Oxford pre-school. Cherry Tree Pre-School, at Headington Community Centre in Gladstone Road, hosted a barbecue with entertainments

  • Just too well qualified

    Chief Schools Adjudicator Sir Peter Newsam appears to be ideally qualified to make a decision about the future of Oxford's schools - except that his experience might disqualify him from the job. Sir Peter, 70, who may be called in if county councillors

  • Closure fear blurs choice of schools

    The threatened closure of a girls' school is being blamed for children failing to get into schools of their choice. Cherwell School in north Oxford and Cheney School at Headington have been swamped with requests for places and some children have been

  • Cricket: Great & Little Tew v Chalgrove

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Great & Little Tew and Chalgrove played out an exciting draw, with Tew finishing seven runs short. Derek Thomas (59) and John Talbot (53) both scored well in Chalgrove 189-7, Andy Darby (3-24) the pick of

  • Cricket: Banbury 2nd v Bicester and N Oxford

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Ian Johnson was unluckily run out for 99 as Banbury 2nd beat Bicester and North Oxford 2nd by four wickets. Put in to bat, Bicester made 174-6 largely thanks to 67 from Naeem Shafi and an unbeaten 35 by Andrew

  • Football: A pre-season cracker!

    Witney Tn 2, Swindon Tn 5 An excellent pre-season crowd of 376 witnessed a pulsating match at a sun-drenched Marriotts Stadium last night as a Swindon Town XI, made up of a mixture of first team, reserves and triallists, put Witney to the sword, writes

  • Football: Rivalsclash over 50 bid for player

    Oxford City boss Paul Lee has hit out over Thame United's offer of compensation for the registration of wing back Chris Potter. The 21-year-old prospect has signed for Thame on a free transfer, but City hold his registration and are entitled to compensation

  • Rugby: Cavaliers go on rampage

    Oxford Cavaliers got back on the winning trail after three successive defeats by handing out an 82-12 hiding to Bedford Swifts on Saturday. The visitors silenced their critics inside the first eight minutes of this Rugby League Southern Conference clash

  • Football: Work on ground could resume "in weeks"

    Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam was today celebrating the removal of the last major hurdle in the club's long battle to finish the half-built stadium at Minchery Farm. And he believes building work at the ground could resume in weeks if the remaining

  • Review: Paperpacks

    Maggie Hartford looks at recent editions in paperback **The Forger - Paul Watkins (Faber, 9.99) As the Germans converge on Paris in 1940, David Halifax, a young American art student, is press-ganged by the Resistance into forging great paintings, to keep

  • Review: Memoirs of Jarman and Isherwood

    "Did cruising start in the fifties?" muses Derek Jarman in his always entertaining if often painful journals Smiling in Slow Motion (Century 16.99), writes Christopher Gray. The reference is, of course, not to holidays at sea but to the determined, careless

  • 25m investment for Internet firm

    Oxford-based Internet services firm ESOFT Global has received 25m of investment from four different companies. The investors are 3i, CSFB Private Equity, Compaq Computer Corporation and Granville Baird Capital Partners. ESOFT specialises in application

  • Have you seen our Education section?

    Web users looking for education news and information now have an even more valuable local starting point here on This is Oxfordshire. Our education section has recently been expanded to offer access to a range of data and services. Visitors there can

  • Cricket: Cropredy v Henley

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3b Henley 2nd made 143-7 against Cropredy, who fell for just 94 to the bowling of Andrew Johnson (6-37). **Cropredy 10, Henley 30

  • Cricket: Bletchingdon v Stanton

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3b Stanton St John Willows made 140-7 at Bletchingdon, with David Mathieson scoring 52. Damon Curtis (77) then steered Bletchingdon to a seven-wicket win. **Bletchingdon 30, Stanton 9

  • Cricket: Morris Motors v Didcot

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3b Didcot posted 201-5 at Morris Motors, Alex Ireson leading the way with 51. In Morris's reply, only Faisal Choudry (51) hung around as they were dismissed for 174. **Morris Motors 2, Didcot 30

  • Cricket: Dinton 2nd v Brackley

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3b Brackley shot hosts Dinton 2nd out for a mere 75, Stuart Green taking 7-26. Darren Beckett then struck an unbeaten 41 in seeing the visitors to an eight-wicket win. **Dinton 2nd 4, Brackley 30

  • Cricket: Bledlow Ridge v Bledlow

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3c Bledlow Ridge had the better of their drawn local derby with Bledlow. Dan Pigott followed up his 51 not out in Ridge's 162-4 with 6-40, but Bledlow clung on at 103-9 by the close. **Bledlow Ridge 16, Bledlow

  • Cricket: Aston Rowant v Wendover

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3b Leaders Aston Rowant marched on with a four-wicket win over Wendover, for whom King made an unbeaten 65 as Wesley Morrick returned 4-53 in a total of 161-8. Simon Tremain (50) and Stuart Moseley (37) saw Rowant

  • Cricket: Witney Mills v Horspath

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3a A superb unbeaten 86 by Mark Cannons guided Witney Mills to a four-wicket victory over fellow promotion rivals Horspath. Horspath's total of 172-7 owed most to Graham Plested (34) and Julian Edwards (32 no).

  • Cricket: Banbury XX v Sandford St Martin

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Banbury XX were never in the hunt against Sandford St Martin after the visitors piled up 224-6 with a consistent display by led by Chas Taylor (40) Jason Burbridge (41) and Tim Pearce (34) then ensured that XX

  • Cricket: Kidlington v Swindon GWR

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3a Leaders Kidlington beat Swindon GWR by six wickets after the visitors had scored 165 all out an innings in which Luke Leach top-scored with 86 as Mark Strong (5-46) took the bowling honours. Strong (45 no) then

  • Cricket: Dinton v Kimble

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Dinton's decision to bat first at Kimble backfired as they were restricted to 127-8 from their 50 overs, with only a late flurry from Adrian Manger (31 not out) taking them even that far. Saleem Fazal (5-47)

  • Cricket: Bletchley 2nd v Bourton Vale

    Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Bletchley 2nd's dismal season continued with a 207-run thrashing at the hands of Bourton Vale. Opting to bat first, Vale piled up 262-7 with Philip Hawtrey (87) and Richard Howell (76) leading the way as Smith

  • Crime: North Oxfordshire

    Crime statistics for the North Oxfordshire area This part of the county has seen a significant drop in the number of burglaries committed both at homes and other buildings, including sheds and farm buildings. House burglaries were at a force low of just

  • Crime: Oxford City

    Crime statistics for the Oxford City area Oxford police area, which covers the area within the city ring road, scores well compared with other areas in Thames Valley on car crime and burglaries, with just 11.2 thefts of motor vehicles per 1,000 population

  • Here's to you, birthday boy

    Arise Sir Knight! George Frew looks back at 50 years of successes and a few failures for the charismatic Kidlington tycoon Sir Richard Branson . . . Today, the Virgin King will celebrate his 50th birthday on Necker, his personal Virgin island. In the

  • 25m investment for Internet firm

    Oxford-based Internet services firm ESOFT Global has received 25m of investment from four different companies. The investors are 3i, CSFB Private Equity, Compaq Computer Corporation and Granville Baird Capital Partners. ESOFT specialises in application

  • Money on the move

    A finance firm will be moving to a new purpose-built corporate headquarters in Banbury later this year. Alex Lawrie will move from Beaumont Road to the Banbury Cross Business Park next to junction 11 of the M40. Alex Lawrie is a division of Lloyds TSB

  • How practice makes perfect

    David Duffy visits a factory which has been officially declared totally faultless Production may have temporarily ground to a halt at the Cowley car works, but anyone who fears British manufacturing is dead and buried should think again. A few hundred

  • Prince charming drops in

    Prince Andrew flew into an Oxfordshire airbase to try out a new 100m training centre and chat to local schoolchildren. The pilot prince was all smiles as he arrived at RAF Benson, near Wallingford, to open its state-of-the-art helicopter flight simulator

  • No action on poll doubts

    Oxford city councillors will take no further action over claims that the chairman of the housing committee was not entitled to stand for election, writes Madeleine Pennell. Liberal Democrat councillor David Connett was investigated after it emerged that

  • Islamic centre passed by one vote

    The go-ahead for a controversial 108ft Islamic centre in Oxford was sealed by the wafer-thin majority of one vote last night, writes Madeleine Pennell. Lord Mayor Maureen Christian had to use her casting vote after city councillors were split equally

  • Ninth member of drugs gang jailed

    A judge praised police officers involved in an undercover operation as the last member of a gang of drug dealers was jailed, writes Rebecca Smith. At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Judge Anthony King said the officers in the case were entitled to the highest

  • Cricket: It's four in a row for Oxon

    Oxfordshire made it four Minor Counties Championship wins in a row with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Wiltshire at Marlborough yesterday. The result keeps them 30 points ahead of the chasing pack at the top of the Western Division with four games

  • Preview: Peaches - Burton Taylor Theatre, Oxford

    Pressgang, the Oxford-based theatre company which specialises in staging new plays, make their debut at the Burton Taylor theatre tonight with Peaches, by Nick Grosso. And it could be the comic treat of the summer. The play takes us into the world of