YOUNG all-rounder Jack Taylor played a leading role as Oxfordshire beat Buckinghamshire by four wickets in the last over of their traditional pre-season friendly at Aston Rowant yesterday.

The 19-year-old, who is a full-time professional with Gloucestershire, took three wickets and went on to score a fluent 45 as Oxon got home with four balls to spare.

Bucks, who won the toss on a firm but slow pitch, got off to a flying start with their former Surrey and Leicestershire opener Jamie Benning dominating an opening partnership of 48 in eight overs.

However, off-spinner Taylor removed Benning, thanks to smart leg-side stumping by Ian Hawtin in his first over.

The spin trio of Taylor, fellow off-spinner Richard Kaufman and left-armer Luke Ryan then reduced Bucks to 155-7, with the aid of a smart run out by Chris Sandbach.

It needed an unbeaten 60 off 72 balls from skipper Jason Harrison to lift Bucks to 233-8 from their allocated 50 overs, in a match where both side used 13 players – but only 11 batsmen.

This total seemed well in Oxon’s grasp even when they slipped to 48-3.

It was then that Nathan Hawkes and Taylor added 92 for the fourth wicket.

Taylor’s contribution was 45 off 51 balls, while Hawkes made the top score of 59 from 66 balls.

After David Smith went cheaply, Shahbaz Ali and the promising Lloyd Sabin made light of Bucks’s predominantly seam attack – and the task of scoring 67 from the last ten overs – getting home off the second ball of the final over.