Oxford & Horspath slipped to their first league defeat for exactly two years when they lost by five wickets in a low-scoring Home Counties Division 1 match at Beaconsfield on Saturday.

After choosing to bat, Oxford never recovered from the loss of Keith Mustow, Johnny Nambiar and Stewart Laudat - all bowled.

From 38-3, Adam Cook and Ian Evans effected a mini-recovery, but they became tied down against the left-arm seam of Mohammed Sarfraz and the off-spin of Jeremy Batty.

Runs came to a halt and then the pressure led to the fall of more wickets.

After Evans went for a patient 30, there was little more resistance apart from Graham Charlesworth, who ran out of partners as Oxford were dismissed for a meagre 127 in the 56th over.

Batty returned 5-29 in 17.2 overs of controlled spin bowling on a slow and docile pitch.

This left Beaconsfield 64 overs to get the runs, but a fine opening spell by Laudat gave Oxford hope as two early wickets fell to his away swing bowling.

One of the victims was Andy Danson, scorer of hundreds in his two previous league outings.

Alastair Storie held the innings together and at 63-2, Beaconsfield seemed set to cruise home. But three quick lbws by Oxford skipper Rupert Evans put the game in the balance at 83-5.

Crucially, Sarfraz was dropped at cover when on one, and went on to make 31 not out off 31 balls, with three sixes, to see Beaconsfield home to their first win of the season.

Oxford, who were missing seamers Phil Evans and David Angove through injury, suffered their first league defeat since losing to Henley in Division 2 West in 2001 - an unbeaten run of 35 matches.

OXFORD & HORSPATH

K Mustow b Mohammed Sarfraz...4

J Nambiar b Mahood...15

S Laudat b Mahood...4

A Cook b Batty...17

I Evans c&b Gurnell...30

I Crosby b Batty...5

G Charlesworth not out...23

Shahbaz Ali c Shepherd b Batty...0

Mohson Rana c Mahood b Gurnell...2

R Buchanan b Batty...2

R Evans c Mahood b Batty...0

Extras...25

Total (all out, 55.2 ov)...127

Fall: 1-21, 2-35, 3-38, 4-71, 5-77, 6-104, 7-105, 8-110, 9-123.

Bowling: Mohammed Sarfraz 17-4-27-1, Mahood 7-0-31-2, Owen 6-2-13-0, Batty 17.2-8-29-5, Gurnell 8-2-18-2.

BEACONSFIELD

A Storie lbw Evans...46

A Danson b Laudat...6

M Shepherd b Laudat...1

P Lynch lbw Evans...16

J Batty lbw Evans...12

P Gurnell not out...17

Mohammed Sarfraz not out...31

Extras...4

Total (5 wkts, 51.4 ov)...133

Fall: 1-11, 2-15, 3-63, 4-78, 5-83.

Bowling: Charlesworth 14-5-35-0, Laudat 9-3-16-2, R Evans 16.4-3-45-3, Mohson Rana 3-1-6-0, Cook 5-0-17-0, Nambiar 4-0-10-0.

Beaconsfield 25pts, Oxford & H 6