OXFORDSHIRE will target victory on both fronts when the new Minor Counties season gets under way.

That is the view of captain Ian Hawtin, whose side play Buckinghamshire in a one-day friendly at Aston Rowant on Sunday (11am).

The Bucks match sees each side name a squad of 13 to give more players a chance to impress and Hawtin hopes Oxon have a big year ahead.

“I think our targets this year have got to be set pretty high,” he said.

“We have finished third in the championship for the last three years, which shows we are competitive.

“This year the aim has got to be to win the division and the same with the one-day trophy.

Oxon include off-spinning all-rounder Jack Taylor, from Great Tew, who has a contract with Gloucestershire.

Their line-up has a familiar look about it, but it still has some promising youngsters such as batsman Lloyd Sabin and seamers Ashley Blanchard and Tom Geeson-Brown.

“The thing about our young players is that they have already gained a lot of experience in Minor Counties or Home Counties Premier League cricket,” said Hawtin.

Oxfordshire’s first competitive outing is against Dorset in the Minor Counties Trophy at Challow on Sunday, May 1.

The Bucks side, captained by Oxford’s Jason Harrison, will include the former Surrey and Leicestershire all-rounder Jamie Benning.

Oxfordshire: Hawtin (capt, Banbury), Shirazi (Banbury), Kaufman (Camden), Hawkes (Ban-bury), Sandbach (Oxford), Sabin (Banbury), Smith (Wollaton), Shahbaz Ali (Banbury), Rowe (Swansea), Ryan (Banbury), Geeson-Brown (Oxford), Blanchard (Banbury), Taylor (Gloucestershire).

Bucks: Harrison (capt), Taj, Benning, Sawyer, Eyles, Payne, Watson, Cranfield-Thompson, Miller, Helm, Zaman, Ali , Stanway.

  • JACK Taylor and younger brother Matt bowled in tandem for Gloucestershire 2nd for the first time in their nine-wicket second XI championship defeat by MCC Young Cricketers at High Wycombe this week.