OXFORDSHIRE are facing a mammoth task to save their opening Unicorns Counties Championship match in Cornwall.

After the opening day at Truro was completely washed out, the hosts recovered from 158-5 yesterday to post 312.

Oxon were then reduced to 104-7 at the close in reply.

Cornwall opted to bat first and got off to a decent start.

Openers Matt Robins and Scott Harvey put on 60, before the former was caught by Harvey Eltham off Gareth Andrew.

The dismissal did not hinder Cornwall’s progress, however, Harvey was joined by Jack Paull for a second-wicket stand of 72.

Paull fell to Eltham, and Oxon were soon celebrating another breakthrough when Harvey was bowled by Olly Clarke for 73.

Clarke struck again when trapping Thomas Rowe leg before, and when Matthew Rowe was run out by Joe Thomas, Oxfordshire were on top with the hosts on 158-5.

However, a string of decent partnerships swung the momentum in favour of Cornwall.

Greg Smith became Clarke’s third victim when he fell lbw on 211, before Mark Gribble was dismissed the same way off Thomas’s bowling.

An eight-wicket stand of 55 was ended when James Turpin was caught behind by Oxon skipper Jonny Cater off Andrew for 57 to leave Cornwall on 285-8.

A late flurry saw the hosts on 311-8, before Thomas struck in successive overs to bowl them out for 312.

Oxfordshire’s reply got off to a nightmare start with Harry Smith falling for a duck, caught by Harvey off the bowling of Tom Dinnis.

It took the visitors until the sixth over to get off the mark.

Although they started to recover, Tom Condon was the next to fall, Dinnis again claiming the wicket with Robins taking the catch.

Jordan Garrett fell for just two, caught by Mark Gribble off Rowe to leave the visitors in deep trouble at 38-3.

Tom Price was lbw to Rowe for 23, soon followed by Richard Kaufman, who was bowled by Smith for 11, as Oxon slumped to 57-5.

Clarke was then also bowled by Smith, and Cater trapped leg before as the visitors closed on 104-7.