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Division 1

OXFORD hope to mount a title challenge after last season’s creditable third-place finish.

Jason Harrison’s side have added Buckinghamshire paceman Usman Arif to their ranks, with fellow bowlers Zia Hamid and Richard Gilbert leaving.

And captain Harrison feels Oxford are well-placed to progress.

“We finished third last year and we are a year older now,” he said.

“We expect to challenge and move forward.

“We have strengthened in the seam department.

“Arif gives us a little bit more pace up front and we have Tom Geeson-Brown, who is coming along well.”

The league’s new registration rules mean Oxford Blue Dan King, who hails from Australia, can play in the same team as Shami Mendis and Stefan Van Dyk – with all three in the squad to face High Wycombe tomorrow.

This season anyone with four years or more consecutive residence in the UK qualifies as a category one player.

Oxford will be without opening batsman Chris Sandbach (knee injury) for the early part of the season.

Harrison added: “All we are looking for is progress from last year.

“We showed that we can be competitive, particularly at home.

“We can’t wait for the season to get going. I am sure most teams will be confident and we are no different.”

IN: Usman Arif (seamer, Beaconsfield).

OUT: Zia Hamid (seamer, Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts), Richard Gilbert (seamer, retired from English cricket).

LAST SEASON: 3rd. PREDICTION: Title challenge.