YOUNGSTERS Shabaz Alam and Liam Manley get their first taste of senior county cricket when they play for Oxfordshire in their warm-up match against Bedfordshire at Aston Rowant on Sunday.

Alam, whose father Aftab played for East Oxford, made 600 runs for Leamington last season and gets his first call-up, having been a member of the academy team last season.

Manley, a left-arm seamer who has been part of the Great & Little Tew success story in recent seasons, has joined Banbury this summer.

In the absence of the unavailable Chad Keegan and Daniel Rowe, who has not been retained, Oxon have picked a young side under skipper Luke Ryan.

Lloyd Sabin and Karl Penhale, both of whom have played first-class games for Oxford MCC Universities this month, are in the side. The Bedfordshire team will include former Middle-sex all-rounder Jamie Hew-itt, who enjoyed a number of successful years with Oxfordshire.

In recent years, Oxon have played Buckinghamshire in this pre-season contest, but these two counties are due to meet in the Unicorns One-day Trophy next month.

The 50-over game against Beds starts at 11am.

Oxfordshire: from Ryan (Banbury) capt, Shabaz Alam (Leamington), Blanchard (Banbury), Cater (wk) (Banbury), Manley (Banbury), Penhale (Aston Rowant), Perkin (Oxford), Sabin (Banbury), Shirazi (Aston Rowant), Watling (Aston Rowant), West (Banbury), Woods (Great & Little Tew).

Bedfordshire: Reynoldson capt), Barnes, Blacktopp, Brett, Griggs, King, Hewitt, Martin, Thomas, Thurstance, Weightman.