Under 13

OXFORDSHIRE Under 13s went from one extreme to the other in three ECB County Competition Group 2 matches.

Having battered Herefordshire by ten wickets, Oxon lost to Northants by two runs after throwing it away in the final over, and then succumbed by 103 runs to Staffordshire Graham Beer took 3-7 and Harvey Eltham 2-9 as Oxon dismissed Herefordshire for 106 at Cokethorpe School.

Kit Morland (50) and captain Jordan Garrett (48) steered the hosts to 108-0.

With eight wickets in hand and needing just six runs, Oxfordshire looked set for a deserved win at Great Oakley.

That was until Northants’ seamer Duncan Croker took four wickets, including a hat-trick, in his final over!

Oxon had Northants in trouble at 69-6, but Ethan Delargy (52) helped them to 182 all out, Harvey Eltham taking 3-23.

A century partnership from Oxfordshire openers Freddie Burton (42) and Garrett (65), then Aadam Samuillah’s 44 looked to have made it safe.

But Croker kept his nerve as Oxon lost theirs to close on 180-6.

Staffordshire made 237-5 in their 40 overs at West Bromwich and Dartmouth, led by Louis Allison (116) and Liam Banks (72), Edmund Smith taking 3-40.

Connor Graney hit 27 not out in Oxon’s 134 all out.