Oxfordshire got their Middleton Cup campaign off to a flying start with an emphatic 136-83 win over Hampshire at Oxford City & County.

Oxon were always in charge in the Group 2 South encounter as they triumphed on four of the six rinks and drew on another to post a 19-3 points victory.

Under new team manager Steve Gilkes, Oxfordshire featured many changes in personnel and combinations with the inclusion of three county under 25s Dean May, Gary May and new boy George Schwab along with 27-year-old debutant Rob Pink.

Captain Alan Prew led by example with the best winning rink as his side blew away Hampshire skip Jim Marsland 29-9, with No 2 Ian Henwood in outstanding form.

Further convincing rink wins for Banbury Central’s Mark Sykes (23-12) plus Headington duo Ian Snowdon (21-10) and Mark Charlett (25-13) against Hampshire’s Chris Daniels, Russell Morgan and Richard Shelley respectively ensured the triumph.

And, but for some fantastic play from visiting skip Matthew Marchant, the score could have been even greater in Oxon’s favour.

His four was involved in a mammoth battle with Paul Sharman’s rink of Barry Lambourne, Andy Martin and Lee Young.

Marchant’s consistent turning over of heads and last-bowl savers turned what could have been a comfortable win for Oxon into a hard-fought 15-15 draw.

Baden Sparkes was unable to celebrate his 100th Middleton Cup game with victory despite a superb last bowl which just failed to count, leaving him with a 24-23 defeat by Gary Starks.

Oxfordshire make one change for the clash with Middlesex at Bush Hill Park BC, Enfield, on Saturday, with Calvin Carpenter coming into the side in place of the unavailable Jason King.

Oxfordshire 136 (19pts), Hampshire 83 (3)

(Oxon rinks first)

Rink 1: L Young, A Martin, B Lambourne, P Sharman 15, M Aldrin, M Brocklebank, B Starks, M Marchant 15.

Rink 2: M Nash, G May, N Lewis, M Charlett 25, J Leggett, T Nixon, C Thresher, R Shelley 13.

Rink 3: R Pink, W Campion, Ro Clanfield, B Sparkes 23, D Watts, T Bailey, C Bailey, G Starks 24.

Rink 4: D May, S Claridge, C Nicoll, I Snowdon 21, K Phillip, C Taylor, C Martin, R Morgan 10.

Rink 5: AJ Docherty, G Schwab, J King, M Sykes 23, K Downs, A Anderson, M Hutley, C Daniels 12.

Rink 6: K Holloway, I Henwood, R Redford, A Prew 29, D Taylor, C Cranham, J Biggs, J Marsland 9.