A SUPERB all-round performance from Olly Clarke helped Oxfordshire Under 17s reach the semi-finals of the ECB County Cup, with victory over Shropshire.

Clarke took 5-7, before scoring an unbeaten 24 as Oxon cruised to a nine-wicket win at Stonesfield to advance from Group 2B.

After the visitors were skittled for 73, captain George Reid hit an unbeaten 33, supported by Clarke.

They face Leicestershire in the last four on Thursday at Oxford Downs (11).

In the ECB County Championship, Oxon are on the brink of being crowned Division 2B champions after a 46-run win on first innings totals over Shropshire at Banbury.

Reid (37), Charan Chahal (34) and Alex Chapman (30) put the hosts in a good position, before a last-wicket stand of 69 between Jake Taylor (37) and Sam Powell (27no) steered them to 246.

Shropshire opener Matt Batkin (54) stood firm, but Clarke (3-17) and Chahal (3-39) helped dismiss the visitors for 200.

Oxon batted again for the remainder of the second day, scoring 150-7, but won on first innings totals.

They will be crowned champions if Bedfordshire fail to pick up 19 points from their match against Herefordshire.

OXON suffered back-toback defeats in the ECB Boys Under 15 County Cup.

At Thorverton, hosts Devon ran out winners by 141 runs.

The home side posted 241-9 in the Group 4A match, with Joe Chown taking 3-37.

Oxon never got going and were bowled out for 100.

At Bloxham School, they fell to a five-wicket defeat to Hampshire.

The hosts posted 175, with George Tait top-scoring (43).

Despite a solid opening stand, a flurry of wickets left Hampshire on 107-5, but they held firm to seal victory.

BEN Porter and Luke Higgins took three wickets apiece as Oxon Under 14s bounced back to beat Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan by six wickets at Bromsgrove School.

Porter (3-13) and Higgins (3-33) helped dismiss the hosts for 115, before Oliver Shaw (49no) led the chase as Oxon earned victory.

They had previously been beaten by two wickets against Gloucestershire in Group 3 of the ECB County Cup.

Luke Maslen (74) starred as Oxon posted 201, but it was not enough as their opponents secured victory in the 43rd over.

In another friendly, Oxon beat Tower Hamlets District by 21 runs at Bromsgrove School.

Cameron King (63) produced a brilliant knock in their 202-8, before Harry Startin took 4-21 as the hosts were dismissed for 181.

OXON Under 10s edged Wiltshire by eight runs in a friendly at Beversbrook.

Julian Laird (23) helped Oxon post 133 after they had been in trouble at 26-4.

Wiltshire’s openers made a decent start, but the run-rate slowed before wickets began to fall and they were restricted to 125-9.