JOHN Barrett is under no illusions of the importance of Oxford’s home clash with Amersham tomorrow.

Seventeen points separate the sides ahead of the Division 2 encounter, with both enjoying their best form in the longer format.

Leaders Oxford are unbeaten in eight Home Counties Premier League matches and captain Barrett is fully aware his side must continue to perform.

He said: “If you look at the table, the top three are slowly pulling away.

“If we lose this one and Horspath win we will be out of the promotion zone – it is a big game.”

Oxford name a squad of 12, with Mark Beer, Adam Hall and Owyn Tong-Jones returning, but Andrew Clough and Arthur Muir are away.

Second-placed Horspath host bottom side Cookham Dean at Oxford Road.

And captain Will Eason is urging his side to move up a gear with five weeks remaining.

“It is important we keep picking up the points,” said Eason.

“But we need to step it up a notch going into the run-in.”

Horspath make two changes, with Jimmy Phillips and Harrison Ward coming in for Asad Rafiq and Stephen Green, who drop down to the 2nd XI.

Thame Town and Aston Rowant face off in a local derby.

And after last week’s crucial win over Cookham Dean, Thame skipper Mike Higgs is calling on his side to make it successive victories to help further bridge the gap to the relegation zone.

He said: “Another win would be really good for us in terms of our position.

“We would still need to win games, but some momentum would really help us.”

Thame are without Will Rooney (holiday) and Will Taylor (work), so Ed Barnett and James Adams come in.

Captain Charlie Brain returns from injury as Shipton-under-Wychwood travel to Datchet.

After sitting out the last two matches with damaged ligaments, the skipper will play, but is unlikely to bowl.

However, he hopes Indian all-rounder Anupam Sanklecha can make the difference.

“Datchet seem to have four very good batters at the top of the order,” he said.

“If we can get through them – hopefully ‘Pam’ has a good day – we have a good chance.

“It is a big challenge, a small ground, but anything can happen.”

Steve Carvey and Matt Brown drop out, as all-rounder Tom Swann also comes into the side.

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Oxford (v Amersham, home): from Alam, Perera, Eltham, Munsey, Stephens, Barrett, Mendis, Simon, Fallah, Beer, Hall, Tong-Jones.

Horspath (v Cookham Dean, home): Stead, R Eason, Ali, Raja, Foster, Price, W Eason, Davies, Belcher, Phillips, Ward.

Thame Tn (v Aston Rowant, home): Thomas, Sutcliffe, Beard, Garg, MacDonald, Higgs, Lachlan, Mushtaq, Phippen, Barnett, Adams.

Shipton-under-Wychwood (v Datchet, away): Hole, Wood, Dickinson, Perkin, Barrett, C Miller, Sanklecha, Cross, S Miller, Brain, Swann.