OXFORDSHIRE made a winning start to pre-season as they beat Free Foresters in a pair of T20 friendlies at University Parks.

The hosts eased to a seven-wicket victory in the first match, before triumphing by ten runs in a closer second fixture.

Former Sussex XI seamer Jordan Shaw made a spectacular start to his debut, bowling George Sandbach with the opening ball of the day after Oxon won the toss and elected to field.

It was a statement of intent as Free Foresters slumped to 37-6, with Joe Thomas and Robbie Shurmer collecting two wickets apiece and George Tait joining the party.

The visitors stabilised without seriously increasing the run rate, before Oxon struck three times late on.

Harvey Jupp picked up two wickets, while Darrel Williams claimed his first scalp on debut when Jonny Cater caught Mark Costin behind as Free Foresters closed on 91-9.

Oxon stuttered in their reply as openers Will Sutcliffe (4) and Tom Cosford (15) were removed in quick succession to leave them 30-2, but it was plain sailing after that.

Marcus Campopiano and Tom Condon put on 53 for the third wicket before the former was removed for 44, leaving the latter to seal victory with a six with four overs to spare.

Oxon won the toss and elected to bat in the second T20, with Sutcliffe again removed for four.

But they scored at a decent rate throughout the innings, Cosford and Condon each hitting 26 to leave the hosts 80-3 when the opener was dismissed in the 12th over.

Campopiano, this time coming in at five, smashed 34 off 21 balls to help Oxon post a competitive 134-7.

The hosts ripped through the top order again as Free Foresters slipped from 22-0 to 23-3, Thomas making the breakthrough and Shurmer taking two wickets in two balls.

The visitors were always behind the run rate and Oxon kept chipping away, despite Josh Fisher top-scoring with an unbeaten 61 (48).

Free Foresters still needed 45 runs with three overs remaining and they could not get close enough, with Fisher’s final-ball four taking them to 124-7.