CHAD Keegan and Luke Ryan took four wickets each as Oxfordshire began their Unicorns Counties Trophy campaign with a ten-wicket victory over Herefordshire at Wormsley yesterday.

Oxon, last year’s beaten finalists, bowled their Group 4 opponents out for 103 in 36 overs after winning the toss and made light work of chasing down their target.

Keegan (4-20) and Karl Penhale ripped into the top order as Herefordshire slumped to 34-5, before captain Ryan took four wickets for just five runs as the tail collapsed.

Oxon openers Hugo Darby and Joe White, on his debut, were then comfortable in securing victory.

Fast bowler Keegan started aggressively and, in the third over, Matthew Pardoe was caught in the slips by Lloyd Sabin.

Charles Walker had a narrow escape in the following over when when he was almost run out for a duck after a mix-up with Liam Gwynne.

However, Keegan struck twice in the next over to decimate the top order, with Walker and Alex Milton both out lbw.

Exall was next to go, bowled by Penhale and Keegan claimed his fourth victim an over later as Joe Crichard was caught behind by wicket-keeper Jonny Cater.

But Gwynne was showing signs of building a steady innings alongside Phil Harris and went on to make an unbeaten 44.

However, their stand came to an end as Harris’s stumps were shattered by Will Rooney, making his one-day debut for the county.

Ryan brought himself on and in his first over trapped Mohammed Pardesi lbw for five, before bowling Taylor Pugh to make it 91-8.

The left-arm spinner also took the last two wickets. Dan Conway was caught by Keegan and James McIlroy fell lbw as Herefordshire were all out for a meagre total.

Darby and White then experienced few alarms.

Herefordshire varied their attack in a bid to find a way through, but fast bowlers Conway and McIlroy, together with spinner Pardesi were hit all round the ground.

Banbury batsman Darby finished unbeaten on 55 from 80 balls with five fours including the winning boundary.