JAMIE Perkin believes tomorrow’s clash at rivals Horspath will have a big say in determining how Oxford fare for the rest of the Division 1 season.

The top-flight of the Home Counties Premier League remains tightly packed, with just 41 points separating the top six.

But Oxford are also only 34 above the relegation zone.

They head into this weekend’s clash at Horspath on the back of a six-wicket win over Tring Park.

Vice-captain Perkin says, with leaders Henley coming up next week, tomorrow’s match could prove pivotal to how the rest of their campaign plays out.

He said: “It’s a big game for both sides.

“It will set up the rest of the season for us.

“If we win, it will give us a small chance to go on and win the league, especially with Henley at home.

“If we lose, it rules us out and we could get involved in a scrap at the other end, which we don’t want.”

Ian Crosby and Alex Morgan come in for captain John Barrett (unavailable) and Freddie Simon.

Horspath, who are only 11 points behind Oxford, see the clash in a similar light.

Captain Will Eason, who makes one change, with Mark Jefferson replacing Dominic O’Connor, said: “It’s so compact, you can’t look too far ahead.

“The upshot this week is it’s a big opportunity for one of us to get ourselves away from the bottom couple and, fingers crossed, it will be us.”

Great & Little Tew captain Harry Smith is hoping his bowlers can replicate their form from six days ago when they host Finchampstead.

The west Oxfordshire side dismissed Banbury for 124, with seamer Andy Harris taking 5-37 as they boosted their survival hopes.

Smith said: “The bowling set it up for us an absolute treat and the wicket was pretty good.

“I finally managed to win a toss on Saturday, that makes a difference too.”

Tew make one change, with spinner Joe Thomas returning for Ollie Price.

Banbury take on Burnham with skipper Lloyd Sabin hoping for improvement.

He said: “We did not help ourselves last Saturday, so I’m expecting a bit of a reaction and a better performance.

“We’re a really young side, so performances like that do happen.”

Banbury add Will Hawtin and Richard West to a squad of 13.

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Oxford (v Horspath, away): Tong-Jones, Charlesworth, Ayub, Perkin, Mendis, Beer, Musk, Fallah, Humphreys, Crosby, Morgan.

Horspath (v Oxford, home): Coleman, Stead, R Eason, Fitzjohn, Cosford, Green, W Eason, Slatcher, Faruk, Belcher, Jefferson.

Great & Little Tew (v Finchampstead, home): Smith, White, Garrett, Woodward, Lloyd Brock, Lawrence Brock, Adams, Shurmer, Harris, T Price, Thomas.

Banbury (v Burnham, away): from Haupt, Clarke, Sabin, Hill, Phillips, Wilkins, Megson, Wright, Taylor, Curtis, Cheema, Hawtin, West.

MICHAEL Beard says Thame Town will need a plan for dealing with Shipton-under-Wychwood’s overseas star Anupam Sanklecha when the sides meet in Division 2 tomorrow.

The Indian all-rounder took his third eight-wicket haul of 2017 when claiming remarkable figures of 8-8 in last week’s 181-run demolition of Reading.

Thame sit fourth after their draw against Great Brickhill.

And Beard is aware keeping Sanklecha at bay will be key.

He said: “That’s the main issue.

“They’ve got a few other decent players as well, but they’re very reliant on him, so we will have to have a think about that.

“He’s a very good bowler.

“Hopefully if we can get a dry wicket for our spinners that will take him out the game a bit.

“But we’ve got a lot of good batters who would like to have a good crack against him, hopefully it pays off.”

Thame make three changes, with Andy Russell, Richard Straughan and Adam Phippen replacing Chris Jeffcock, Honey Garg and Dan Patey.

Shipton have now all but confirmed their safety.

And captain Charlie Brain is predicting an entertaining clash at Church Meadow.

The west Oxfordshire side make two changes, with Craig Wood and Graham Newhook replacing the unavailable Andy Hemming and Luke Champion, who will play for the 2nd XI.

Brain said: “I think Thame have had a pretty good year.

“We did lose against them earlier this season, we did not play particularly well in the first half of the campaign.

“It’s the last timed game so Pam (Sanklecha) will be bowling more (overs), so it will be a tougher test for them.

“We’re both playing good cricket, so it so should be a good match.”

Leaders Aston Rowant travel to third-placed Chesham.

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Thame Tn (v Shipton, home): C Russell, Sutcliffe, Kanishka, Beard, Adams, Mushtaq, Higgs, Rooney, A Russell, Straughan, Phippen.

Shipton (v Thame, away): Hole, C Miller, Davies, Sanklecha, Cross, Brain, S Miller, Harris, Cockroft, Brain, Newhook.