Craig Haupt hit an unbeaten century on the first day of Oxfordshire's crunch Minor Counties Championship clash with Dorset at Dean Park yesterday, writes Richard Tilley.

The Banbury left-hander smashed 17 fours and three sixes in his 121 not out his second hundred for the county and his first in the Championship.

Oxfordshire made 232-3 in their first innings and at the close of play were 26-1 in the second - 11 runs ahead of Dorset, who had rattled up 247-5.

Reaching three figures will have been particularly sweet for Haupt in light of the shocking start he made to his Oxfordshire career.

The big South African made three golden ducks in his first three competitive innings, but he has now well and truly banished memories of those wretched early innings.

Haupt and opening partner Stewart Laudat had been aggressive right from the off, after Oxfordshire skipper Rob Williams had won the toss and batted.

Laudat, whose innings featured some sweetly-timed shots but also some streaky leading edges, went leg before to leg-spinner Vyv Pike with the score on 61.

Pike took 68 Championship wickets last season - and he looked to be on his way to another big haul when he had Ben Thompson caught behind.

But Haupt and Williams steadied the ship.

The pair put on 89 for the third wicket before Williams, who had taken half an hour to get off the mark, chipped the spin of Oxford University's Tom Hicks to midwicket.

Haupt kept going, however, bringing up the third batting bonus point with a six off Pike and then reaching his hundred with a single from the next delivery.

Dorset got their reply off to a fast start, as Oxon's bowlers had problems with their line and length.

But evergreen seamer Keith Arnold bowled both openers in quick succession, and when Ben Thompson caught Nick Thurgood off the bowling of spinner Ian Curtis, Dorset were struggling slightly at 90-3.

That was until the hard-hitting Darren Cowley came to their rescue, his unbeaten 103 taking his side to maximum batting bonus points.