Division 2 West: Amersham - v - Oxford

Ben Thompson made a stunning seasonal debut with a classy unbeaten century to set Oxford on the way to a crushing 149-run victory at Amersham.

The 20-year-old county batsman, who has been unavailable so far this season as he is at Exeter University, made a chanceless 102 not out off 114 balls to take Oxford to a formidable 247-7 off 60 overs.

He hit nine fours and two sixes, with his second 50 coming off just 38 balls as he took particular toll of Amersham's Kiwi all-rounder Danny Bulman.

Opener Robbie Eason made a useful 31, but although the rest of the batsmen gave steady support after getting themselves in, none was able to go on and play a major innings alongside Thompson as Rajabali took 5-65 off 23 overs.

However, Amersham were soon in dire straits when they batted.

Seamer Philip Evans hit the deck with the first delivery of the innings to have Stephenson caught behind for nought by Thompson, who completed a good day by taking three catches as stand-in keeper.

Philip Evans then removed Atkins, and with South African Alan Kruger trapping Andrews lbw, Amersham were in disarray at 15-3.

Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, with Alex Pike, back from Durham University, picking up one on his seasonal debut.

Kruger (4-27) returned to mop up the tail, with the help of a superb running catch from Graham Plested and a brilliant run out by Julian Lawton Smith, as Amersham were shot out for 98 off 38.3 overs.

OXFORD

K Mustow c Stephenson b Hands. . .10

R Eason c Bulman b Rajabali. . .31

P Jobson c Stephenson b Moore. . .17

B Thompson not out. . .102

G Plested st Matcham b Rajabali. . .22

I Evans c Aylott b Rajabali. . .16

A Kruger st Matcham b Rajabali. . .17

J Lawton Smith c Matcham b Rajabali. . .2

P Evans not out. . .12

Extras. . .18

Total (7 wkts, 60 ov). . .247

Fall: 1-28, 2-67, 3-73, 4-136, 5-162, 6-213, 7-217.

Bowling: Bulman 17-1-96-0, Hands 9-0-23-1, Rajabali 23-4-65-5, Moore 11-2-54-1.

AMERSHAM

R Stephenson c Thompson b P Evans . . .0

H Matcham c Mustow b I Evans . . .32

I Atkins c I Evans b P Evans . . .2

J Andrews lbw Kruger. . .2

D Bulman b R Evans. . .5

A Bredle c Thompson b Pike. . .0

F Hamilton-Pike c Plested b Kruger. . .36

T Aylott run out. . .0

A Hands lbw Kruger. . .0

M Rajabali not out. . .1

N Moore c Thompson b Kruger. . .0

Extras. . .20

Total (all out, 38.3 ov). . .98

Fall: 1-0, 2-12, 3-15, 4-31, 5-33, 6-68, 7-70, 8-75, 9-98.

Bowling: P Evans 5-0-15-2, Kruger 9.3-2-27-4, R Evans 10-7-14-1, Pike 7-1-15-1, I Evans 7-1-13-1.

**Amersham 3 pts, Oxford 25