CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

CONSIDERING they had been 36 for seven in their first match against Durham earlier this week, Oxford University's decision to bat first on winning the toss yesterday could have been termed courageous.

As it transpired, there were enough promising contributions from student batsmen to justify captain Mark Wagh's positive move.

On a pitch which itself set few tests that well- organised batsmen could not answer, Hampshire's attack appeared to hold as much terror as the surface.

Against more destructive opposition they could face a tiring summer. They bowled a strange mixture comprising enough straight balls to get seven wickets bowled or lbw, but interspersed those deliveries with some altogether more wayward offerings which resulted in 12 wides.

Charlie Lightfoot batted with a sound technique and enough attacking flair to seize on anything deserving punishment. He put on 50 for the second wicket with Jamie Haynes before the opener played all round and over the full toss with which Shaun Udal began his spell. The major stand, however, was for the seventh wicket between Peter Morgan, who marked his debut with an accomplished innings containing a six and 12 fours, and Chetan Patel. Their 99 runs allowed Wagh to stay in command with a declaration, although bad light prevented Hampshire's reply from taking much shape.