SKIPPER Rupert Evans will be missing through injury when Oxfordshire take on Huntingdonshire in their opening group game of the revamped MCC Trophy at Kimbolton School, Cambridge on Sunday.

Evans, who has not played for Oxon since rupturing his Achilles tendon last July, was rumoured over the winter to have been considering retiring from Minor Counties cricket. And while the veteran off-spinner has decided not to call it a day just yet, he feels he is not yet ready to take the field again for the county.

"I've played for Oxford in the Cherwell League, but I don't think I am quite up to county stuff at the moment," said Evans, who is Oxfordshire's cricket development officer.

"There is no point coming back before you are right. I am aiming to play at some point this season, so there is no sense in rushing it."

New one-day captain Rob Williams is unavailable for Sunday's game - the first of four matches in a group which also includes Staffordshire, Notting-hamshire and Leicesteshire.

The Bicester and North Oxford batsman has been selected to play for an English Cricket Board XI against Essex - a move which has angered Oxon secretary Alan Crossley. "I'm not too impressed by it." said Crossley.

The ECB have completely reorganised the Trophy this season, merging it with the old NCA competition by bringing in first-class counties and replacing the straight knockout format with round-robin qualifying groups leading to quarter-finals.

Crossley added: "The ECB have been stressing the importance of cricket at this level, but for the very first game in their new competition our captain disappears off to play for their representative side. It does not make sense.

"I'm obviously happy for Rob - we all think he's a very good player and deserves the chance - but we have a poor record in the competition and wanted to be at our strongest against unknown opposition."

Oxfordshire will also be without Graham Savin. The Rover Cowley all-rounder is the groundsman at Jesus College sports ground and will be attending the official opening of its new pavilion on Sunday. Veteran seamer Keith Arnold is unavailable because of work commitments.

In the absence of Evans and Williams, the team will be led by Oxford's Ian Curtis, who did the job for much of last season.

Horspath's 17-year-old skipper Ben Thompson will make his competitive debut for the county, as will Bicester off-spinner Paul Jeacock.

Last year, Oxfordshire finished seventh in the Championship's Western Division and went out at the first-round stage of the MCC Trophy.

Their fortunes this time around will depend on whether their batsmen can capitalise on the good work of their bowlers.

Second-innings collapses saw them crash to defeat when faced with small targets against Berkshire and Shropshire in the first two games of the last campaign.

And while successful run chases in the tour wins over Cornwall and Devon suggest that the batsmen have it in them, Oxon's top order still looks worryingly fragile - especially as Stuart Waterton is unlikely to play for the county again.

Rover Cowley's Stewart Laudat will hope to continue his good form of last year when he made 473 runs in five matches at an average of nearly 60.

Bruce Ellison, Oxford's Mr Consistency, will be relied upon to score heavily again, while hopes are high that Williams and Bourton Vale's Charlie Knightley can improve on modest returns last season. The bowling attack, by contrast, looks impressive, with spin being the strong suit.

Bicester left-armer Arwyn Jones was given more responsibility last year in the absence of the injured Evans, and he responded magnificently by topping the averages with 22 wickets.

"He now looks almost the finished article at this level," said Crossley.

Jones, Curtis and Evans form a spin atack to test the very best sides, but there are question marks over the seam bowling.

Laudat and Savin are useful performers, but there is no high quality partner for the peerless, and seemingly ageless, Arnold. He will probably have to pound in for another 268 overs as he did in 1997.

Oxon (v Hunts): Curtis, Mustow, Ellison, Laudat, Thompson, Ali, Taylor, Knightley, Hawtin, Jones, Jeacock.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.