OXFORDSHIRE may have to pull out of the County Championship Shield if Chinnor reach a promotion play-off.

That was the honest assessment of Oxon’s chair of playing Rob Walsh, who said the county needed their best players available if they were to compete.

Oxfordshire are due to host Dorset & Wilts at Chinnor in their opening Pool 3 clash on Saturday, April 28.

But that is also the date of the promotion play-off between the second-placed sides in National 3 South West and National 3 London.

Saturday’s defeat at Bournemouth means that Chinnor could well feature in that clash, which looks like being a home tie.

“If Chinnor are playing in the play-off, I think we will probably decide to withdraw from the County Championship,” said Walsh, who is also Chinnor’s county representative.

“It is a really difficult one and we are going to leave it right to the last minute to decide – that will be after Chinnor play Redingensians on April 7.

“What we don’t want to do is field a weakened side like last year.

“Whilst there are strong players elsewhere, the core of the side will be Chinnor.

“We would like Oxfordshire to play and progress because I think we have a great chance of doing well.”

He added: “Dorset & Wilts and Berkshire will field the majority of their players from Level 5 (National 3).

“I don’t want to put out a side that is trounced by 50 points.”

Walsh said it would be regrettable to pull out, but part of the problem lay with scheduling.

He said: “My big gripe is the RFU deciding to have round one of the County Championship on the same day as the play-offs.”

Meanwhile, Chinnor head coach Jason Bowers said there was no need to panic after two straight defeats.

Chinnor’s agonising loss at Bournemouth came after a home reverse to Barnstaple.

But Bowers said: “We have won 20 games this season and we just have to win four more, it is as simple as that.

“With Redingensians getting a bonus-point win at Newton Abbot last week, it means playing them is another big game.”

“Now we have just got to do well over the next four games and beat Redingensians at their place.”