BRADLEY Smith was given his first factory ride in MotoGP.

After signing for new Austrian manufacturer KTM ahead of the 2017 season, Smith, from Forest Hill, took to the track for the final time as a Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider, finishing ninth in Valencia.

Beforehand, he was given a taste of what is to come next year as he completed more than 100 laps of the Valencia circuit on the new KTM bike in practice.

Abingdon’s Eddie Pepperell secured his place on the 2017 European Tour with a consistent display at the Final Qualifying Stage.

A run of poor form late in the season had forced Pepperell to compete in the Qualifying School for a card on next year’s Tour.

But the 25-year-old overcame an ankle injury and kept his cool to take fifth place from six rounds at the PGA Catalunya Resort to keep his card.

Luke Ryan stepped down as captain of Oxfordshire cricket after four years in the role.

The 28-year-old also ended his 12-year stint with Home Counties Premier League outfit Banbury due to increasing work and university commitments.

Ryan left his job as business manager with the Oxfordshire Cricket Board to take up a post with the ECB as head of participation and growth in the south central region.

As a result, he was unable to commit to Oxfordshire’s Unicorns County Championship games and decided he should step down.