Minor Counties Championship

LUKE Ryan is backing his Oxfordshire side to come good in their Western Division clash with Cornwall at Truro, starting on Sunday.

Ryan had a disappointing start to his three-day career as captain when Oxon collapsed to 54 all out and a 135-run defeat against Cheshire.

But the 24-year-old skipper believes his team are stronger than the side that finished second in the division last year.

Batsmen Richard Kaufman, Lloyd Sabin and Jamie Perkin plus seamer Ashley Blanchard all return, with Robbie Eason and Michael Beard unavailable.

Curtly Slatter and Tom Geeson-Brown, who has a shoulder injury, drop out.

“I am not fearing that again,” said Ryan, referring to the Cheshire collapse.

“I think we have learnt from that. There were definitely more positives from that game rather than negatives.

“There is a still a long way to go over the five remaining games.

“If we play like we can, then we should have the better of all five games and be right up there at the end.

“We are a better side than last year as well.”

Ryan added: “There were a lot of positives from the last match, particularly the bowling of Karl Penhale, Matt Woods and Francois Vainker.

“But it is good to get the experienced batsmen back.

“The game was one of the strangest Minor Counties Championship matches I have played in.

“It was all over the place, with one side taking control and then the other.

“It was by no means a disaster. We played well for 85-90 per cent of the match.”

Cornwall are the reigning champions and also knocked Oxfordshire out of the MCCA Trophy last month.

Last season, the rain denied Oxon victory in their Championship clash, which ultimately stopped them topping the table.

“They are always a strong side,” said Ryan.

“But we will worry about what we are doing and not too much about the opposition.”

Cornwall lost out to Berkshire in the MCCA Trophy quarter-finals on Sunday, having also gone down to Devon in their Western Division opener.

Oxfordshire: Kaufman (Old North-amptonians), Sabin (Banbury), Shirazi (Aston Rowant), Perkin (Oxford), Smith (Bromley), Cater (Banbury), Ryan (capt, Banbury), Vainker (Oxford), Woods (Great & LittleTew), Penhale (Aston Rowant), Blanchard (Banbury).