Luke Ryan, who passed a late fitness test on his injured hand, turned in a match-winning performance for Banbury away to Welwyn Garden City in Division 1 on Saturday.

Ryan split the webbing next to his thumb during last week’s defeat by High Wycombe and had to miss Oxfordshire’s Minor Counties Championship defeat by Shropshire in midweek..

But the left-arm spinner declared himself fit and took 5-63 in Banbury’s 44-run success.

Choosing to bat first, the visitors lost openers Craig Haupt and Ed Phillips to Cameron Taylor in the first four overs.

Nathan Hawkes, with a spectacular 54 from 34 balls with one six and 11 fours, gave Banbury the initiative, with support from Richard West and Jonny Cater, both of whom contributed 26.

However, the visitors’ lower order fell away and the side looked in trouble at 166-8.

Brady Barends and Ollie Wright dug in and added a valuable 50 runs for the ninth wicket to help Banbury to 220 all out.

Ryan opened the bowling for Banbury, but it was Barends, who accounted for danger man Jamie Hewitt.

No Welwyn batsman was able to play a major innings against the spin of Ryan and West.

Wickets fell steadily before skipper Jimmy Phillips came on to take the final wicket with nearly seven overs left.

But the hero was Ryan, who bowled 24 overs on the hoof for his match-winning haul.

Off-spinner West collected 3-29 off 13 overs.