Captain Luke Ryan reflected on Oxfordshire’s shortcomings after the county bowed out of the MCCA Trophy.

Oxon scrambled home by one wicket in their opening two Group 1 games against Devon and Bedfordshire, before losing by seven wickets to Hertfordshire and 16 runs against Cornwall.

Their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals were finally dashed when Cornwall beat Bedfordshire on Monday to leapfrog Oxon and claim the second qualifying spot.

Ryan, in his first season as Oxfordshire captain, said: “We weren’t really at our best when we won those first two games.

“We sort of stumbled over the line a couple of times and we were lucky to come out on the right side.

“We were hoping to step up our performances and push on in the last two games, but unfortunately we were not great in the field against Hertfordshire.

“We couldn’t defend 260-odd, which we probably should have done, and this week (against Cornwall) we were not at our best with the ball. We probably gave them 20 too many.

“We then stumbled at the start of the innings and didn’t get up with the rate.

“Maybe the Challow wicket was not as good as usual after the rain. You can usually get eight or nine an over later in the innings at Challow, but it was not quite so easy.”

With the returning Damian Shirazi and Lloyd Sabin shining at the top of the order, and Chad Keegan spearheading the attack, it wasn’t so much the batting or bowling that Ryan was concerned about, but the fielding.

“It is something myself and Rupert (Evans, head of cricket) reflected on,” he said.

“We are not anticipating in the inner ring and not attacking the ball on the boundaries. We are not applying as much pressure on the batters as we should.”

Ryan, who was due to be playing for Northants 2nd against Essex 2nd at Stowe School this week, admitted that he was learning all the time after becoming captain. “I have not sort of stepped in and it’s been a dream from ball one,” he said.

“It is something I am learning and getting more experience at.

“There are good players in the side to turn to and help me to make the right decisions – Shirazi, Kaufman and Keegan.

“Those three have played a lot of cricket and are great to bounce ideas off. I am not out there on my own.”

Now Oxon’s attentions switch to the Minor Counties Championship with their first Western Division game against Cheshire at Great & Little Tew, starting on June 9.