Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League

OXFORD will be without paceman Stuart Hole for the rest of the season as he transfers his allegiances to football.

Hole misses tomorrow’s Division 1 trip to Harpenden to have a break ahead of the new Southern League season with North Leigh, which starts on August 13.

Tom Geeson-Brown comes into the squad as Hole’s likely replacement, with opening batsman Chris Sandbach also added to the 12.

Oxford thrashed Harpenden in the Home Counties Twenty20 final on Sunday, but captain Jason Harrison expects a tougher test this time.

“Harpenden have made real progress,” said Harrison.

“It will be very competitive.

“Mathematically, we can still win the league and we are grasping on to that.

“More importantly, we need to find some form.”

Banbury, who came so close to beating Oxford in last week’s derby, bring in seamer Ashley Blanchard in place of batsman Sam Cheshire for their home game with Henley.

Skipper Ian Hawtin said: “We batted and bowled well against Oxford, so it was just unfortunate that we couldn’t get the final wicket.”

Michael Higgs will captain Thame Town in their Division 2 West derby at home to Aston Rowant as Sam Lachlan is away at a wedding.

Ed Goggs also misses out, with Chris Jeffcock and Matt Higgs coming in.

Michael Higgs said: “If you look at the table, anyone from the bottom seven can still get relegated.

“We just want to enjoy the final five games and play some good cricket.

“We beat Rowant at their place and it would be nice to get another victory over them.”

Seamer Karl Penhale is unavailable for Rowant, with Andrew Tolson coming in.

Horspath welcome back batsman Matt O’Connor for their trip to third-placed Harefield, but spinner Paul Jeacock is away on holiday.

“It is a bit of an unknown quantity beause we have never played there before,” said captain Adam Krol.

“They are certainly a good side, but they were our one victory this year, so we have got good memories of that.

“It is a big game for us because we need a win soon.

“The good thing is that we have been staying in touch.

“We still feel it is in our own hands to stay up.”

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Banbury (v Henley, home): Sabin, Haupt, West, Tew, Shahbaz Ali, Shaw, Wright, Hawtin (capt), Blanchard, Smith, J Phillips.

Oxford (v Harpenden, away): from King, Harrison (capt), Laudat, Ferraby, Perkin, Crosby, Sandbach, Mendis, I Evans, Sutherland, Usman Arif, Geeson-Brown.

Horspath (v Harefield, away): R Eason, Phillips, O’Connor, Krol (capt), Hutchison, Wynd, W Eason, Todd, Mohammed, Skelton, Rana.

Thame Town (v Aston Rowant, home): Neilson, Mi Higgs (capt), Beardall, P Patel, Bhatti, Parmar, Jeffcock, Ma Higgs, Sutcliffe, S Patel, Desai.

Aston Rowant (v Thame Town, away): Watkins, Morgan, Smith, Watling, Morrick (capt), Cook, Cooper, Tolson, Needham, Matthews, Leaney.