Oxfordshire's hopes of making it through to the knockout stages of the ECB 38-County Competition were dashed by Northants Cricket Board at Banbury.

Yesterday's four-wicket defeat leaves them with two losses and a washout from their three group games - and with no chance of qualifiying for the quarter-finals.

Former England all-rounder David Capel was the key man for the visitors.

He came to the wicket with Northants struggling slightly at 131-6 in pursuit of Oxon's total of 186-9.

Capel played himself in gently, scoring just a single from his first 16 balls faced.

But then he exploded, hitting medium-pacer Ben Thompson on to the top of the pavilion for the winning runs and finishing unbeaten on 30 from 32 deliveries.

Earlier, opener Richard Hawkins and Craig Haupt had given the hosts a solid start. But they both fell to King, and when Thompson was caught behind for just two, Oxon were 72-3.

Ian Hawtin and Giles Peddy batted sensibly to give Oxfordshire something to bowl at, and when Kingston Bagpuize quickie Simon Launder removed Mann and Wake for ducks, Oxon looked to be in control.

Park and Huggins steadied the ship for the visitors, and even though they stumbled from 102-2 to 131-6, Capel was there to see them home.

Oxon were without skipper Keith Arnold, who failed a fitness test on a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Banbury Twenty in the Oxfordshire Cup on the Tuesday night.

Arnold is expected to be fit for the three-day Minor Counties Championship clash with Berkshire at Challow, starting on Sunday.