OXFORDSHIRE Saxons Under 17s began their season with a four-wicket defeat against Hampshire Development Under 16 at Magdalen College School.

The hosts made a poor start with the bat, slumping to 6-2 with openers Charlie Hunt and Ollie Dunn falling cheaply.

An excellent third-wicket stand between Luke Higgins and Faizaan Abbas got Oxon back on track, Higgins top-scoring with 52.

However, the tail failed to wag as they were dismissed for 189.

Oxfordshire skipper Greg Woods made an instant breakthrough with the ball.

But Hampshire proved too strong, despite the efforts of Joseph Oates, who took 1-8 in five overs.

Oxfordshire Under 10s opened their campaign with a 43-run win over Northamptonshire at Stowe School.

Captain Louis Nicholson led from the front, carrying his bat through the 35-over innings for an unbeaten 83 in his side’s 141-6.

Northants then slid from 94-5 to 98 all out.

OTHER RESULTS

Oxon U11 41, Northants U11 42-7.

Northants U12 78, Oxon U12 80-3.

Oxon U13 85, Northants U13 89-7.

Northants U14 249-6, Oxon U14 252-6 (D Alder 65no).

Northants U15 218-8, Oxon U15 168.

OXFORDSHIRE’S Under 13 girls lost by 98 runs against Hampshire at Embley Park.

They got off to a great start when Zara Wyatt made the breakthrough with just the fourth ball of the match.

Hampshire were 76-4 off 22 overs, but then scored 61 off the next six on their way to 172-9 off 35 overs despite the efforts of Sana Kassey (3-6) and Wyatt (3-16).

Oxon lost a flurry of early wickets and were never in the hunt, their final six wickets falling in just five overs as they were dismissed for74.