Oxfordshire captain Keith Arnold looks set to miss the Minor Counties Cricket Association Knockout Cup first-round tie against Dorset at Challow & Childrey CC on Sunday.

Keith Arnold The veteran seamer pulled a hamstring while bowling for Banbury Twenty against Bourton Vale in The Oxford Times Cherwell League on Saturday.

"It was in my seventh over," he said. "It is a bit frustrating. For the last few years I have been struggling with hamstring injuries.

"It is highly unlikely I will be playing next weekend."

Arnold believes that by taking a break, he won't aggravate the damage, and will be able to make a swifter return to action.

"It is the early part of the season, and hopefully I can still come back after a couple of weeks," he added.

Arnold's injury is a major blow to Oxfordshire, coming hot on the heels of their crushing ten-wicket defeat by Berkshire in their opening Minor Counties Championship game at Falkland last week.

If, as seems almost certain, he is ruled out this weekend, it leaves Oxon not only looking for a stand-in captain, but also a replacement seamer.