OXFORDSHIRE Women recorded their second successive resounding victory when they beat Dorset by a mammoth 171 runs at Bicester & North Oxford.

Following their big success over Wiltshire the previous week, this puts them in command of Division 3 Group B in the ECB Women’s County Championship.

After being put in to bat, Oxon soon lost the previous matches century-maker Genny Porter, but in-form all-rounder Carla Wood (64) and Abi Currie (47) kept them on the front foot.

Harriet Batchelor (65no), making her Oxfordshire debut, then came to the crease and quickly looked comfortable.

She and Ellie Ingram (43no) found the boundary with ease, never letting the Dorset bowlers settle as Oxon posted 248-3 from their 50 overs.

Dorset’s top order got off to a steady start, before they collapsed against the pace attack of Wood and Sophie Mitchelmore.

Well supported by their teammates in the field, the two seamers never let the pressure drop.

Wickets fell regularly with Wood, taking 4-6 from her six overs and Mitchelmore snatching 5-10 in just five overs, as the last seven Dorset wickets fell for just ten runs to be all out for 77.

Oxon will be aiming to keep up their good form away to Gloucestershire and Cornwall at the end of the month.

l OXFORDSHIRE Girls Under 13s put up a battling performance as they lost by five wickets to a strong Gloucestershire side side in a friendly at Frocester.

After being dismissed for 102 in 25 overs, Oxon made the hosts work for their victory, taking five wickets before some big hitting ended their chances.

In a low-scoring friendly, Oxfordshire Girls under 11 were bowled out for 54 by Berkshire at Hungerford, despite determined innings from Phillipa Dellar, Honor Murray and Rosie Woods.

Aime Diab (2-6) was the pick of the 11 bowlers used by Oxon as Berkshire edged to a four-wicket success.

DERMOT O’Driscoll scored a spectacular century as Oxford Bulls recorded a 22-run victory away to Cothill School, Abingdon.

O’Driscoll hit the ball to all corners of the ground to finish with 123 not out from just 76 balls.

It was an incredible knock which helped the Bulls – a team drawn from state schools – post 181-3 from their 25 overs.

After a poor start, Cothill were revived by No 3 Ottie Landale, who hit 78 from 75 balls to put them on top.

However, a superb three-wicket spell from Lewis Wood proved decisive as the host prep school finished on 159-7.