Oxfordshire go into the final day of their Western Division encounter against Herefordshire at Bicester & North Oxford today needing a miracle to avoid a fourth successive defeat.

Oxon ended yesterday on 126-5 in their second innings - a lead of just 17.

Resuming on 58-3 in reply to Oxon's first innings of 239 all out, Herefordshire rattled up 348-7 from their 90 overs.

With David Exall taken ill overnight, ex-Worcestershire all-rounder Matthew Rawnsley joined Chris Boroughs and they shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 217.

Boroughs hit a superb 142 before he became one of four catches for Charlie Knightley, while Rawnsley made 81.

It gave Hereford a first innings lead of 109, and Oxon were soon in trouble at 31-3 with Philip Evans, Simon Hole and Ian Hawtin all back in the pavilion.

It left just Robbie Eason, with an unbeaten 42, holding the innings together.

OXFORDSHIRE

First Innings: 239 (I Evans 51).

Second Innings

R Eason not out...42

P Evans lbw Roberts...0

S Hole c Langford b Roberts...10

I Hawtin c Whitmarsh b Roberts...7

C Knightley c Whitmarsh b Rawnsley...29

A Cook lbw Roberts...25

I Evans not out...5

Extras...5

Total (5 wkts, 43ovs)...126

Fall: 1-1, 2-23, 3-31, 4-82, 5-113.

Bowling: Roberts 16-3-37-4, Sutton 6-1-21-0, Parker 5-1-19-0, Hornyold 6-1-28-0, Rawnsley 10-3-21-1.

HEREFORDSHIRE

First Innings

(Overnight 58-3)

C Burroughs c Knightley b Newhook...142

D Exall not out...35

M Rawnsley b Phillips...81

T Whitmarsh c Knightley b Newhook...17

J Hornyold run out...0

S Roberts not out...7

Extras...14

Total (7 wkts, 90ovs)...348

Fall: 4-274, 5-299, 6-302, 7-306.

Bowling: Newhook 21-4-84-3, Arnold 22-3-70-1, P Evans 12-2-29-0, Phillips 22-4-105-2, I Evans 11-0-41-0, Cook 1-0-4-0, Knightley 1-0-3-0.

Oxon 5pts, Herefordshire 8