OXFORDSHIRE have won their first NCCA Championship title for 32 years after beating Suffolk by 178 runs.

Rupert Evans’s side had to stay patient as they began the final morning of the four-day match needing seven wickets for victory.

Suffolk started the day 13/3, chasing an unlikely 347 to win, but dug in to reach lunch 106/5.

They could not keep up the resistance in the afternoon, though, losing their last five wickets for 34 runs as Olly Clarke took 5/59.

The spinner saw his side home with the final three wickets of the afternoon, removing Tom Rash at just after 3pm to seal victory.

Oxon were on top for most of the match and three wickets yesterday evening put them in the driving seat.

Eastern Division 1 winners Suffolk frustrated their opponents early on, with Kyran Young and Jacob Marston adding 46 before the former was bowled by Clarke.

The spinner claimed the second wicket of the morning when he had Joe Gatting stumped by captain Jonny Cater for 13.

Marston reached 50 after lunch, but from the moment George Tait bowled Ben Shepperson for 32 the match was only going one way.

Max Mannering trapped Josh Cantrell lbw, before Clarke mopped up the tail.