SKIPPER Will Eason is backing title-chasing Horspath to secure promotion without overseas star Rameez Raja.

The Division 2 leaders could secure an instant return to the top-flight tomorrow if they beat third-placed Amersham in the penultimate weekend of the Home Counties Premier League season.

Raja, who has now joined up with Karachi for Pakistan’s national T20 competition, after averaging 66.11 in 15 games, is a notable absentee.

But Eason is confident Horspath can cope with his departure.

He said: “When he has not performed with the bat we have still managed to get a decent total. We have got players who can step up to the plate.

“It is important we don’t relax and hopefully we get the right result to help us secure promotion.”

Pat Foster comes in for Raja, while Harrison Ward returns, with Mark Skelton dropping down to the 2nd XI.

John Barrett says Oxford’s sole focus is on beating Gerrards Cross despite also being on the verge of going up.

If they win and Amersham pick up no more than nine points, Oxford are guaranteed a top-two finish.

Barrett said: “No matter whether we go up or not this weekend we still want to win the last two games and it is just another match.”

Andrew Clough (tight calf) is back and has been added to the squad.

Captain Mike Higgs knows Thame Town’s fate is in their own hands ahead of the trip to Datchet.

Fourteen points separate themselves and second-bottom Gerrards Cross, but the skipper, who names an unchanged team, wants his players to keep the hammer down with 40 points still on offer.

“There is still a lot to play for,” he said.

“We need to keep our foot on the gas.”

Shipton-under-Wychwood are all but safe ahead of their home encounter against Aston Rowant.

Charlie Brain’s side are 34 points above the relegation zone.

He said: “If we can’t get six points and the other teams win, we deserve to go down.”

Jamie Perkin is at a wedding and Joe Barrett is working at Lord’s, so Tim Senior and Steve Carvey come in.

Rowant are safe after victory over Cookham Dean last week.

George Reid and Tom Needham replace unavailable duo George Storton and Alex Jewell.

Captain Josh Smith said: “We can just relax – two games to go and hopefully we can win them both.”

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Horspath (v Amersham, away): Stead, R Eason, Phillips, Ali, Todd, Price, W Eason, Faruk, Belcher, Foster, Ward.

Oxford (v Gerrards Cross, home): from Alam, Tong-Jones, Stephens, Munsey, Barrett, Mendis, Crosby, Beer, Eltham, Simon, Fallah, Clough.

Thame Tn (v Datchet, away): Thomas, Sutcliffe, MacDonald, Garg, Beard, Mushtaq, Adams, Phippen, Higgs, Rooney, Jeffcock.

Shipton (v Aston Rowant, home): Hole, Wood, Dickinson, C Miller, Lewis, Sanklecha, Cross, Brain, S Miller, Senior, Carvey.

Aston Rowant (v Shipton, away): Tolson, Matthews, Smith, Watling, Morrick, Muttitt, Bethell, Barras, Harris, Reid, Needham.

GREAT & Little Tew can secure their Division 1 survival when they host Tring Park tomorrow.

Andy Harris’s side need at least seven points to stay in the top-flight.

Henry Woodward comes in for Jordan Garrett, who is playing for South West Under 17s.

Third-placed Banbury host Reading.

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Great & Little Tew (v Tring Park, away): Smith, Moreton, White, Brock, Slatter, Warner, Shurmer, Harris, Manley, Thomas, Woodward.