Oxfordshire were given plenty to think about after slumping to a 125-103 defeat against Northants in their opening Middleton Cup trial match at Banbury Central.

Oxon won on two of the six rinks, but lost on the other four.

Mark Charlett’s side of Dean May and David Clanfield, who was awarded his 50-game badge, and Barry Lambourne provided their best result with a 24-17 win.

Howard Watts’s quartet of Nathan Lewis, Ian Henwood and Craig Nicoll were Oxon’s other winners with a nail-biting 22-21 success.

But Oxon suffered defeats on the four other rinks.

Mark Sykes’s side of AJ Docherty, Chris Earl and Richard Redford were blown away 27-7.

Baden Sparkes’s four of Mick Nash, Alan Ley and Nick Rae-Welsh were pipped 19-18.

Captain Greg Moon’s four of Gary May, Paul Conley and Jason King were edged out 22-20.

And Ian Snowdon’s side of Paul McGrath, Remy Clanfield and Mike Petersen went down 19-12.

Oxfordshire will be looking for an improvement when they take on Gloucestershire in their second and last trial match at Barnwood BC, Gloucester, on Saturday.

Oxfordshire 103, Northants 125 (Oxon rinks scores): G May, P Conley, J King, Gr Moon lost 22-20; AJ Docherty, C Earl, R Redford, M Sykes lost 27-7; P McGrath, Re Clanfield, M Petersen, B Sparkes lost 19-8; M Nash, A Ley, N Rae-Welsh, I Snowdon lost 19-12; N Lewis, I Henwood, C Nicoll, H Watts won 22-21; D May, D Clanfield, B Lambourne, M Charlett won 24-17.