OXFORD skipper John Barrett is backing spinner Harvey Eltham to take confidence from his best spell of bowling this season.

The in-form leaders host Aston Rowant in Division 2 of the Home Counties Premier League tomorrow.

Eltham has been struggling with a back problem for most of the campaign, but he took his best haul of 2016 with 4-27 in the victory over Cookham Dean last week.

And Barrett has been enthused by the 18-year-old’s return to form.

He said: “Harvey has been struggling with his back, has missed a lot of county games and only bowled a few overs.

“It is good for him to get into a bit of a rhythm and take wickets.”

Oxford are forced into one change, with all-rounder Mark Beer replacing the unavailable Ian Crosby.

Will Eason believes second-placed Horspath will be fine without him at local rivals Thame Town.

Skipper Eason is away on holiday so Patrick Foster will captain the side, while Harrison Ward returns.

“I am sure if the lads play to their ability we won’t be far off getting a positive result,” said Eason.

Thame make three changes with Sam Lachlan, Will Sutcliffe and Will Taylor back for James Adams, Matt Furness and Dan Patey.

Captain Mike Higgs said: “We are at full strength, up for it, and, you never know, we may cause an upset.”

Shipton-under-Wychwood will be without three key players for their trip to third-placed Amersham.

Captain Charlie Brain has damaged a ligament in his foot after standing on a ball in the warm-up last week.

Shaun Cross has suffered a recurrence of a knee injury, while top-order batsman and vice-skipper Andy Hemming is on honeymoon for the next five weeks.

Joe Barrett returns from working in the shop at Lord’s to take over the captaincy, while Jason Hunt and Steve Carvey come in.

Meanwhile, Brain is hoping all-rounder Anupam Sanklecha can continue his destructive form after hitting a half-century and taking 7-47 in last week’s win over Thame Town.

He said: “Pam bowling was on a mission.

“We kept telling him to bowl more at the stumps and he went and got four wickets with four yorkers.”

TOMORROW’S SQUADS

Oxford (v Aston Rowant, home): Alam, Perera, Eltham, Munsey, Barrett, Clough, Mendis, Simon, Fallah, Muir, Beer.

Horspath (v Thame Tn, away): Phillips, Stead, Ali, Raja, Belcher, Faruk, Green, Mohammed, Price, Foster, Ward.

Thame Tn (v Horspath, home): Thomas, Higgs, Garg, Beard, MacDonald, Mushtaq, Rooney, Phippen, Lachlan, Sutcliffe, Taylor.

Shipton-under-Wychwood (v Amersham, away): Hole, Dickinson, Perkin, C Miller, Lewis, Sanklecha, Seacole, S Miller, Barrett, Hunt, Carvey.