DEFENDING champions Witney Swifts got their 2019 campaign off to a perfect start as they brushed aside Stonesfield at home.

The visitors were shot out for only 74 as George Seacole claimed 4-30 and George Townsend 3-8 in the Division 1 clash.

And Swifts made light work of the target, easing to 76-2 as Nigel Hume (36no) and Seacole (31no) led them home.

Mark Strong claimed 4-24 for Westcott to help his side to a 42-run win at Faringdon.

Stuart Symes hit 47 in Westcott's 197 all out, Nick Giles and George Liddiard taking four wickets apiece.

Strong’s haul then sent Faringdon tumbling to 155 all out.

Newly-formed Garsington & Cowley began with a two-wicket win at Chipping Norton.

Chasing Chippy’s 145 all out, Garsington reached 146-8 as Uzair Ahamd hit 65.

Elsewhere, Wolvercote beat Middleton Cheney by 34 runs.

Despite only limping to 111-8 in their 45 overs, Wolvercote’s bowlers came to the fore.

Barkat Ahmed led the way with 4-28, before Brian George mopped up the tail with 3-7 off 2.5 overs.

Oxenford edged past Marsh Gibbon by two wickets on the target score method.

Tom Leonard (54) top-scored for Marsh Gibbon, but a terrific stand between No 8 Habeel Khalid (42) and ninth man Stephen Wright (28no) saw Oxenford home.

In Division 2, veteran Julian Hitchman’s 6-45 was in vain for Clifton Hampden as they fell to a 29-run target score loss against Stanton Harcourt.

The visitors posted 191 all out, Joel Graham hitting 64, before restricting Clifton to 151-6 in a rain-reduced 41 overs.

William Bennett claimed 6-26 in East & West Hendred’s 28-run win at Bampton.

Hendred set 144 all out, before Bennett led the way in Bampton’s 116 all out.

Kilkenny edged past visitors Watlington by six runs, while Wootton & Boars Hill beat Tetsworth by one wicket, thanks largely to a haul of 6-13 from Damian Wiskin.

James Mabbett smashed a superb century for Wantage – but still finished on the losing side.

A fine knock of 115 from the opener helped the hosts reach 210-5 in their Division 3 clash against Broughton & North Newington.

David Spencer (56) was also in form with the bat.

However, Andy Parsons top-scored with 52 in reply as Broughton reached 212-7.

Connor Kirby claimed superb fixtures of 5-29 as Combe began their season with a 34-run over Dorchester.

Mark Westaby hit 55 in Combe’s 157-8, before Dorchester were dismissed for 123.

Michael Tippett’s 6-28 led Kidlington to a three-wicket win at Brill.

The hosts were all out for 93, then Andy Oliver scored 32 in the visitors’ 94-7.

Risinghurst defeated Marcham by eight runs in a rain-affected match on the target score method, while Hook Norton saw off Radley by four wickets after bowling their visitors out for 95.

In Division 4, Witney Swifts 2nd beat hosts Deddington by seven wickets.

Craig Horne (5-19) and Mark Horne (3-18) combined to dismiss Deddington for 62, before Swifts eased to 63-3.

Oxenford 2nd beat hosts Chadlington by 82 runs as Divya Puri shone with 96 for the visitors in their 184-7.

Chadlington fell for 102 in reply.

Steventon beat Garsington & Cowley 2nd by 98 runs, while West Ilsley saw off Uffington by six wickets.

Wayne Lyford took 4-21 in Uffington’s 187 all out, and then Adam Barnes struck 77 not out to steer Ilsley to 189-4.

Wolvercote thrashed Shrivenham by 131 runs.

Darren Jones hit 61 and James van Santen 51 in Wolvercote’s 265-7, before hosts Shrivenham were held to 134-8 in reply.

Asif Khan’s magnificent 7-26 helped Risinghurst 2nd to a 54-run win at Chalgrove in Division 5.

The home side were dismissed for 73 as they replied to Risinghurst’s 127 all out.

Letcombe won a high-scoring match at East & West Hendred 2nd by 43 runs.

They set 243-9, Alex Simms hitting 81.

Danny Taylor then took 4-64 as Hendred reached 200-7 in response.

Stonesfield 2nd’s Mark Hatton smashed a terrific 143 not out as his side hammered Deddington 2nd by 174 runs in Division 7 North.

Hatton and Ben Hayes (71) helped Stonesfield to a mammoth 277-2.

Scott Thomas then took 5-18 and Jordan Newman 4-15 as Deddington were shot out for 103.

Middleton Cheney 2nd saw off Witney Swifts 3rd by six wickets.

Steve Wilkes took 5-11 in Swifts’ 156 all out, and then Lester Whitby hit 65 to steer Cheney to 157-4.

In Division 7 South, a haul of 5-13 for Harpeet Singh helped Wootton & Boars Hill 2nd to a 34-run win at Sunningwell 2nd.

Hook Norton 2nd kicked off their Division 6 campaign with a 72-run win at Dorchester 2nd.

Jason Davis and Tsering Sherpa-Moore both hit 55 in Hooky’s 193 all out, before William Ingham took 5-35 as Dorchester were dismissed for 121.

Watlington 2nd’s Patrick Sunderland took 5-28 in his side’s nine-wicket win over Swinbrook.

Swinbrook were rolled over for 65, before Watlington eased to 67-1 to secure victory.

Oliver Carr’s 5-14 helped Oxenford 2nd to a one-wicket win at Kidlington 2nd.