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Richard Kaufman took 6-39 for Oxon

A career-best spell of 6-39 by off-spinner Richard Kaufman earned Oxfordshire a 117-run victory over Shropshire at Whitchurch on Tuesday.

It was the county's first Minor Counties Championship Western Division success this season, following two draws and one abandoned fixture, and it came just before tea with 30 overs to spare.

Kaufman, the former Banbury all-rounder who now plays for St Fagans in Cardiff, was probably third in the spinning pecking order behind Luke Ryan and Francios Vainker, but he produced an inspired spell of 20-7-39-6.

They are his finest figures for the county, beating his previous best of 5-71.

Oxon added just eight to their overnight 325-8 before Vainker was dismissed in bizarre circumstances.

Thinking his partner, Jack Brooks, had been caught, he wandered out of his crease at the bowler's end and was run out by a direct hit.

Brooks soon fell for 15, bowled by Jack Shantry, giving him his second five-wicket haul of the match.

It left Shropshire a target of 332 in a minimum of 95 overs, and they made a decent fist of it early in their innings, going along at the required four an over.

However, wickets also fell at regular intervals as most of the Oxon bowlers tasted success.

Ryan Newhook, Brooks and Ryan accounted for the first three wickets, and then skipper Ian Hawtin turned to Kaufman - who didn't let him down.

He worked his way through the middle and lower order as Shropshire subsided from 142-5 to 202 all out.

Paceman Newhook ret- urned for a fiery second spell and bagged another wicket to finish with 2-47.

Shantry ran out of partners and was unbeaten on 46.

7:44am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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