BADEN Sparkes’s rink was key as Oxfordshire began their Home Counties League campaign with a 131-108 success away to Berkshire.

Sparkes guided his men to a 22-shot win, which was just shy of the winning margin at Three Mile Cross BC.

Their other big victory came via Paul Sharman, whose team included Witney Mills’s Les Days, who was awarded a six-game badge.

They won 26-10 against ex-Oxon bowler Chris Barrett.

Jason King’s side also triumphed, while Kevin Alder and Alan Ley’s men dropped shots late on to lose narrowly.

Colin Whitehead suffered the only heavy defeat, 26-12.

Berks 108 (6pts), Oxon 131 (16)

(Berkshire rinks first)

Rink 1: A Chipper, E Orme, D White, C Holliday 19, C Lewis, J Eatwell, G Hooker, K Alder 18.

Rink 2: R Hutt, G Belcher, J Heapy, C Barrett 10, S Tolhurst, L Days, S Jones, P Sharman 26.

Rink 3: A Merry, M Rivoria, R Kozwolski, Ballantyne 24, T Prew, T Jupp, S Cooper, A Ley 20.

Rink 4: A Windmill, D Oakes, A Piper, T Broad 11, B Bloomfield, P Demczak, B Lambourne, B Sparkes 33.

Rink 5: M Blizzard, P Mortel, T Searle, M Thornton 18, K Holloway, R Jackson, J Hardie, J King 22.

Rink 6: B Byles, M Cooper, D Holder, N Gauld 26, M Nash, D Wedge, I Henwood, C Whitehead 12.