WILTSHIRE'S hopes of lifting the Unicorns Knockout Trophy were ended by a 105-run defeat to hosts Oxfordshire at Bicester & North Oxfordshire CC yesterday.

The visitors, unbeaten in ten Championship and Trophy matches this season, lost the toss as Oxfordshire chose to  and their 263-8 from 50 overs proved too big a target for Mike Coles' men.

Hugo Darby scored 45 but wicketkeeper Jonny Cater's unbeaten 101 from 94 deliveries proved the backbone of the home side's innings.

Nathan Hawkes added 33 and Jamie Perkin 32 as Jake Roberts and Coles both took two wickets each.

Wiltshire lost openers Jayden Levitt and Tom Morton early to the bowling of Karl Penhale, but a 97-run partnership between Ed Young (46) and Henry Langford (44) got them back into the running.

However, the last seven wickets were lost for just 44 runs as Wiltshire subsided to 158 all out in the 39th over.

John West (3-22) and Luke Ryan (3-12) proved the chief destroyers as Oxfordshire booked a final against Devon next month.

Western Division leaders Wiltshire host Devon in the Unicorns Championship at Devizes, starting on Sunday.

REACTION TO WILTSHIRE'S DEFEAT IN THIS WEEK'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND WILTSHIRE TIMES