WILTSHIRE produced a dismal performance as they lost to Oxfordshire by 257 runs in the first Minor Counties Championship of the season.

Wiltshire had one major plus point to take into the Buckinghamshire game in a fortnight after 17-year-old Eddie Abel's batting showed maturity above his years.

Oxfordshire won the toss at Banbury and batted but were soon in trouble when in the second over Kevin Nash clean bowled both Keith Mustow and Craig Haupt with his first two balls.

Oxford subsided to 31-4 and 130-6 before Adam Cook (99no) and skipper Ian Hawtin (45) took the score to a respectable 250 with Ricard Bedbrook finishing with figures of 5-84.

Wiltshire's innings stuttered on the first evening losing four wickets for 104 before they stuttered to 198 all out on the second day.

Wiltshire bowled poorly during the second innings on a wicket taking considerable turn, losing Nash to a hamstring injury in the fifth over.

Oxfordshire were able to declare at 349-6 after 67 overs leaving Wiltshire 10 overs and the whole of the third day to score a mammoth 402 to win.

Wiltshire survived the ten overs on the second day without losing a wicket but on the final day they succumbed to 144 all out before lunch.

Only Abel (38) showed any real application in an innings of great promise as slow left arm bowler Joe Porter took 6-36.

Vice captain, Neil Shardlow, said: "There were two teams out there and we came third. It was disappointing because it was a game we went into thinking that, because Oxfordshire were towards the bottom last year, we would win."