Oxford University face an uphill battle in the Varsity Match after Cambridge batsman Anand Ashok piled up the runs on the second day at Fenner’s.

Resuming at 42-4, the Dark Blues were bowled out for 152 and then Ashok hit an unbeaten 93 to lead the hosts to 155-2 at the close.

Neil Kruger was first to go for Oxford after offering Thomas Probert, whose 21 overs cost just 20 runs, a caught and bowled chance.

Charlie Hill was then trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Frankie Brown and when Willem Klopper was caught at the wicket by Ananya Sen off the same bowler, Oxford were 91-7.

Brown claimed his third victim when he had Tom Bryan caught by Philip Ahston, and then Nick Buchanan was bowled by Barbadian Ruel Brathwaite to leave the Dark Blues 116-9.

It was only a last-wicket stand of 36 between Dan Pascoe, who top-scored with 37, and Jonty Strachan, which salvaged some respectability for the visitors.

The innings came to an end when Pascoe was caught by Christopher Grammer at slip off Akbar Ansari.

With the conditions much improved from when Oxford were inserted the previous day, the Light Blues set about tightening their grip on the game.

However, Dan King gave the Dark Blues a lift when he took a superb one-handed catch diving to his left off Raj Sharma to dismiss Grammer for two with the score on 16.

But Ashok, who had proved Oxford’s scourge with an unbeaten 164 in the recent UCCE Championship clash at Fenner’s – a match the visitors won on first innings – and Sen then set about repairing the damage.

They added 62 for the second wicket before Sen edged a delivery from Buchanan to Kruger at first slip.

Ashok was then joined by Ansari, and the pair experienced few alarms as they added an unbroken stand of 77 for the third wicket to put Cambridge firmly in charge at the close.

Ashok has hit seven boundaries so far, and Oxford, who used seven bowlers, will need to end his innings quickly on Thursday if they are to stand any chance of getting back into the game.

Scores: Oxford Univ 152, Cambridge Univ 155-2 (A Ashok 93no).