RYAN Buckett returns to Middleton Cup action for Oxfordshire, who open their South Section B campaign away to Kent at Marden on Saturday.

Buckett was a regular in the Oxon side until moving to Berkshire for whom he played in the competition.

But he is back playing for Shiplake this season and returns to skip one of Oxon’s six rinks.

Also returning is West Witney’s Andy McIntyre, who is back in this country after serving with the RAF abroad.

There are two newcomers to the Middleton Cup – England’s premier county competition – in Alan Carter (Banbury Central) and Jim Bland (Shiplake).

One of the Oxon rinks contains four Banbury Borough players, skipped by Mark Sykes.

Oxon have struggled for form this season, losing both their cup trials and face a stiff test against Kent.

OXFORDSHIRE TEAM

Rink 1: A Carter (Banbury Central), K Alder (West Witney), S Cooper (Watlington), R Gaskins (Headington).

Rink 2: J Bland (Shiplake), M Brain (Kidlington), N Rae-Welsh (Headington), R Buckett (Shiplake).

Rink 3: J Abercrombie, G Schwab, AJ Docherty, M Sykes (all Banbury Borough).

Rink 4: M Nash (Headington), A McIntyre (West Witney), D Leighfield (West Witney), M Charlett (Headington).

Rink 5: K Holloway (Banbury Borough), I Henwood (Headington), P Comley (Oxford C & C), B Sparkes (Carterton).

Rink 6: S Watts (Watlington), P Mabbutt (Headington), W Parker (West Witney), P Sharman (Carterton).

Reserves: S Aldren (Carterton), T Prew (West Witney).

Oxon’s second cup trial against Gloucestershire at Oxford City & County was curtailed by bad weather.

With most rinks having completed 16 ends, the match was abandoned with the hosts losing by 99-91.

The rinks of Jason King and Buckett were in control when the rain intervened.

Oxon 91, Gloucestershire 99 (Oxon rink scores): S Witcombe, T Prew, P Comley & B Sparkes lost 16-15; J Abercrombie, P Mabbutt, A J Docherty & M Sykes lost 20-13; D Leighfield, K Holloway, S Cooper & J King won 25-16; S Watts, A McIntyre, G May & P Sharman lost 20-15; A Carter, S Aldren, C Gilkes & R Gaskins lost 22-6; J Bland, M Brain, N Rae-Walsh & R Buckett won 19-5.

OXFORDSHIRE suffered a crushing 39-shot defeat by Berkshire in their opening Home Counties League match at Three Mile Cross, Reading.

After a tight first ten ends, the hosts pulled away to win 132-93.

Oxon skip Paul Comley’s rink were level after 13 ends but won only one more end.

Melvin Brain’s rink dropped a six on the 17th on the way to nine-shot defeat.

Chris Weller got home by seven shots thanks to five on the 20th end and a double on the last.

Oxon’s under 25 rink, skipped by Shane Cooper, lost by one.

Alan Ley’s four were ahead by five after 13 ends, but lost 15 shots on the next seven ends to lose by eight.

Berkshire 132 (20pts), Oxfordshire 93 (2) (Oxon rink scores): J Bland, T Prew, B Blomfield & P Comley lost 22-13; C Lewis, S Jones, A McIntyre & M Brain lost 23-9; S Whatcombe, B Squires, P Robbins & C Weller won 22-15; S Watts, J Abercrombie, O Bennett & S Cooper lost 18-17; A Carter, C Cox, I Whelpton & A Ley lost 26-18; T Jupp, D Latter, S Aldren & K Alder lost 28-14.

Oxon’s Balcomb Trophy two-rink fours campaign ended when they suffered an agonising one-shot defeat against Hampshire in the preliminary round at Oxford City & County.

The quartet from Banbury Borough, led by Mark Sykes, were 12-0 down after six ends. They picked up a five on the eighth but still lost by six.

On the last end, Oxon’s other rink, skipped by Ryan Buckett, held the two shots they required to force an extra end after 15 woods.

However a successful strike by the Hampshire skip reduced it to one to see the visitors home 41-40.

COUNTY FRIENDLY

Bedfordshire 89, Oxon 124 (Oxon rink scores): M Oliver, C Haley, A Wase & B Bloomfield won 21-14; S Tolhurst, R Radband, K Williams & M Brain lost 14-20; P Demczak, B Jarvie, J Lucas & A Ley won 31-10; T Backer-Holst, J Timms, A Hall & I Whelpton lost 14-17; A French, D Wright, M Morris, M Andrew won 17-14; C Lewis, B Ealey, D Bullock & C Wheeler won 27-14.

BERKSHIRE KENNET LV LEAGUE

Division 1

Kingston Bagpuize & Southmoor A 45 (1pt), Thatcham A 59 (9) (KB&S skips first): C Lee Tuffnell 19, D Parsonson 19; B Garside 14, B Williams 21; P Mortel 12, T Aubrey 19.

Division 2

Trentham 70 (4), Kingston Bagpuize & Southmoor 74 (10) (KB&S skips first): B Garside 14, K Maplesden 21; P Mortel 17, A Stephens 17; G Prichard 18, D Freeman 18; S Fraser 26, R Clark 14.

Division 3

Kingston Bagpuize & Southmoor B 76 (10), Newbury B 34 (0) (KB&S skips first): F Monk 26, J Green 12; B Durrant 18, R Collins 10; A Holmes 32, J Craydill 12.

ASHLEY BAKER LEAGUE

Kingston Bagpuize & Southmoor 91 (10), Faringdon 25 (0) (KB&S skips first): P Pearce 37, R Haines 8; S Fraser 25, J Blackman 8; M Fuller 29, V Garrett 8.

FRIENDLY

Faringdon Ladies 53, Kingston Bagpuize & Southmoor Ladies 34 (KB&S skips first): F Rothwell 16, M Curtis 14;

J Ash 6, A Garrett 20; P Pearce 12, J Blackman 19.