Oxfordshire veteran Alan Ley showed all his experience in helping his side to a narrow 122-118 victory over Northamptonshire at Wellingborough in their latest Middleton Cup trial.

Ley, who has played more than 600 games for the county, skipped his men to a 27-18 victory on rink three and the nine-shot margin proved decisive.

Other Oxon winners were Mark Sykes on rink two and Mark Charlett on rink four.

The victory made it two out of two for Oxon's Middleton Cup hopefuls, following their three-shot victory over Wiltshire at Banbury Central earlier this month.

Northants 118, Oxon 122 (Oxon skips first): B Sparkes 22, J McKee 23; M Sykes 24, M Cooper 19; A Ley 27, M Sharpe 18; M Charlett 20, J Haines 18; C Carpenter 14, P Letts 25; A Prew 15, N McKee 15.

Oxfordshire started the new season of friendly matches at home to London and Southern Counties at Oxford City and County BC, winning 131-104 with four successful rinks.

The highest winning rink was skipped by Chris Weller (Kidlington) and comprised junior deputy president Malvyn Pitman (Carterton), Mick Major (Blackbird Leys) and past president Harold Winstone (Oxford City and County). They triumphed 30-14.

A county badge was awarded to Carterton secretary Steve Tolhurst and a colts badge went to last year's winner of the unbadged singles Allison Cup, David Wotherspoon (Lower Hey- ford).

Oxfordshire started their English Short Mat BA Inter-County summer competition in style with a 204-121 win over Wiltshire at Benson, taking 23 points to their opponents' nine.

OXON SCORES

First run - Singles: M Smith won 14-9, J Cole drew 13-13. Fours: J Bradbury, L Woodward, B Dibley & J Moore won 12-3, M Wyatt, K Hunter, C Iles & T Mills lost 7-6.

Second run - Pairs: T Brown & K Dickson won 19-9, G Smith & N Cole won 17-5. Triples: R Newitt, D Simms & B James drew 7-7; J Hayward, B Hayward & N Cottrell lost 11-6 .

Third run - Singles: M Smith won 20-6, J Cole won 14-9. Pairs: K Dickson won 14-9, N Cole won 20-6.Triples: B James lost 9-8, N Cottrell drew 10-10. Fours: J Moore won 12-3, E Mills won 13-3. LATEST CLUB RESULTS CHECK KENNET LEAGUE

Hagbourne A 88 (10pts ), Trentham A 71 (2) (Hagbourne skips first): P Ryman 19, G Hayden 26; I Snowdon 24, R Kirby 18; J Strandling 30, B Lambert 8; H James 15, R May 19.

Hagbourne B 101 (12), Trentham B 74 (2) (Hagbourne skips first): B Gerring 30, C Howell 13; I Hickman 29, G Simmonds 18; D Rose 15, K Hogburn 19; S O'Neill 27, M Collins 24.

Hagbourne 81, Wantage 68 (Hagbourne skips first): R Parsley 14, B Seymour 16; A Bowler 22, R De'Ath 12; J Strandling 33, R Daley 10; B Gerring 12, K Woodward 30.

Didcot A 76 (2), Morland 87 (12) (Didcot skips first): P Barker 22, B Dillon 23; C Edney 26, B Greenway 18; W Lucas 16, R Barnard 21; D Brown 12, R Goodchild 25.

Didcot 72 B (4), Island Bohemian 97 (10) (Didcot skips first): M Payne 9, G Crowdy 33; P Cleverly 22, P Redmond 20; C Wyatt 27, D Crisp 13; A Donald 14, G Young 31.

KENNETT LX LEAGUE

Kingston Bagpuize 59, Milton Hill 54 (Milton Hill skips first): M Whiting 12, M Craddock 20; R Clewley 19, C Maclean 21; M Guthrie 23, S Ilott 18.

Hagbourne 46 (2), Didcot 63 (2) (Hagbourne skips first): A Bowler 21, B Lucas 16; H Marriott 10, C Edney 30; I Hickman 15, G Jones 17.

RIDGEWAY LEAGUE

Hagbourne Ladies 69 (19), Wallingford Ladies 38 (0) (Hagbourne skips first): A Wheeler 26, P Maskrey 13; L Snowdon 16, P Frewin 15; P Tait 27, M Street 10.

Didcot Sapphires 56 (9), Newbury 32 (0) (Didcot skips first): J Evans 20, B Reynolds 12; PK Smith 17, L Bender 10; M Andrews 19, D Grant 10.

Didcot Emeralds 22 (0), Thatcham 93 (9): (Didcot skips first): M Taylor 5, S Farrow 33; B Pepper 13, S Harrison 25; M Flood 4, D Lewis 35.

CLUB MATCHES

Wallingford 70, Abingdon 108: (Wallingford skips first) R Wyman 11, B Salsbury 22; B Green 15, W Turner 17; H Oliver 13, J Davie 22; J Maskrey 13, R Etheridge 23; R Tappin 18, W Griffiths 24.

Wallingford 63, Stuarts 90: (Wallingford skips first) R Wyman 21, A Newbury 16; C Dolton 17, D Jacob 12; M Street 11, J Bland 24; J Chedzey 14, B Clark 38.

South Oxford 116, Reading 116 (S Oxford skips first): L Buckett 16, A Morrison 21; B Simpson 17, W Wilson 20; G Young 26, G Joiner 12; V Richards 16, B Edwards 17; B Standen 24, W Sinclair 19; M Keden 17, J Byles 27.

South Oxford Ladies 56, Thame Ladies 36 (S Oxford skips first): J Padbury 19, P Holdsworth 10; E Gibb 20, A Parrish 8; G Buckett 17, G Andrews 18.

South Oxford Ladies 41, Bicester Ladies 57 (S Oxford skips first): G Bailey 14, R Nash 29; E Gibb 11, M Lewis 16; G Buckett 16, M Flynn 12.

Wallingford 122, Didcot 94 (Wallingford skips first): J Beardsley 18, A Bennett 20; M Street 15, PK Smith 15; B Green 23, R Powling 16; P Maskrey 21, M Andrews 13; R Tappin 17, W Lucas 23; H Oliver 28, G Jones 7.

Didcot Ladies 96, Abingdon 85 (Didcot skips first): G Evans 20, J Whittaker 18; W Lucas 21, W Turner 14; G Jones 19, P Woodville 19; P Barker 18, J Struggles 23; J Evans 18, W Griffiths 11.