Keith Mustow hit his fourth Minor Counties Championship century for Oxfordshire as they took control on the opening day of their three-day clash with Wales at Swansea's famous old St Helen's Ground.

The Oxford & Horspath opener made a classy 110 out of the visitors' total of 376-4 declared from 100 overs.

Keith Mustow hit 110 for Oxfordshire against Wales in Swansea But he wasn't the only Oxon man to shine, as Banbury Twenty's Richard Hawkins stroked an impressive half-century on his Championship debut.

The 21-year-old left-hander got off the mark with a pull for four through square leg - and he brought up his 50 with the same shot.

Hawkins, captain of Oxfordshire's under 19 side two seasons ago, hit 11 boundaries in his 62.

Mustow looked in superb form right from the word go after Oxon had won the toss and opted to bat. He was particularly severe on the short ball, and peppered the leg side boundary with a succession of vicious pull shots.

Mustow and his Oxford clubmate Robbie Eason posted Oxfordshire's first century opening stand of the season.

The pair took the score to 105-0 off 33 overs at lunch, but Eason, who had looked calm and organised, edged a catch to slip soon after the interval.

Perhaps the young right-hander's concentration was broken by the star attraction of a carnival on the adjacent rugby pitch - a barely-clothed young lady singing Shania Twain cover versions.

His dismissal brought Hawkins to the wicket. And if the new boy was nervous in his first Championship game, he didn't show it, his first 28 runs all coming from boundaries.

Mustow looked determined to make a really big hundred, but he was bowled off his boot just before tea with the score 206.

Oxon would have been hoping to punish the hosts' tiring bowlers and flagging fielders in the final session.

But the Welsh hit back straight after tea to claim the scalps of Hawkins and Ben Thompson within the space of four runs.

And it was not until the last few overs that Adam Cook and Darryl Woods, the latter making his first Oxfordshire appearance for six years, were able to cast off the shackles.

Cook's unbeaten 70 included two massive sixes - one onto the roof of the rugby stand and the other into a neighbouring street.

It was an outstanding day's work from the Oxfordshire batsmen on a wicket which offered assistance to the seamers and is already turning sharply.

Batting promises to be extremely tricky on the final day, and yesterday's fine display has put the visitors in a commanding position.

Keith Arnold, standing in as skipper for the unavailable Rob Williams, will be looking for his bowlers to press home the advantage today.

OXFORDSHIRE

K Mustow b R Sylvester...110

R Eason c Newbold b Gage...33

R Hawkins lbw Dawkins...62

B Thompson lbw R Sylvester...7

A Cook not out...70

D Woods not out...38

Extras...55

Total (4 wkts dec, 100 ovs)...376

Fall: 1-115, 2-206, 3-242, 4-246.

Bowling: Gage 23-7-49-1, Barnsley 17-3-63-0, Barr 16-0-65-0, J Sylvester 11-4-59-0, Dawkins 20-3-64-1, Khanna 4-0-11-0, R Sylvester 9-2-35-2.

* Bonus points: Wales 1, Oxon 3