OXFORD UCCE won the toss and decided to bat when they opened their three-day friendly against Worcestershire in The Parks today.

Openers Ed Cowan and Joe Sayers made a cautious start to their innings against the County's pace attack of Matt Mason and Mark Harrity.

Mason's first three overs were maidens as he and Harrity made the openers work hard for their early runs. The students had reached 15 without loss after seven overs.

Oxford UCCE: E. J. M. Cowan, J. J. Sayers (capt.), J. Allen, H. R. Jones, O. S. Anwar, S. J, Airey, W. O. F. Howard, T. Mees, P. J. McMahon, T. J. Sharpe, M. K. Munday.

Worcs: A. Singh, S. D. Peters, V. S. Solanki, B. F. Smith (capt.), Kadeer Ali, G. J. Batty, D. J. Pipe, C. G. Liptrot, S. Khalid, M. S. Mason, M. A. Harrity.

Umpires: T. E. Jesty and K. Shuttleworth.