OXFORDSHIRE’S poor start to 2016 continued with a heavy defeat to Cornwall in their Western Division opener.

The visitors lost by an innings and 59 runs at St Austell as they were unable to force a third day of play in the Unicorns Counties Championship.

After Cornwall finished their first innings on 349 and restricted Oxon to 107-6 on Sunday, they were already facing an uphill battle.

Once Lloyd Brock and Luke Ryan’s partnership of 38 was ended, Oxon’s tail crumbled.

It only took the hosts 14.2 overs in the morning to dismiss the visitors for 144, forcing a follow-on with a lead of 205.

Their second innings did not start any better as they were quickly reduced to 32-3.

George Munsey (48) and Jonny Cater (48) steadied the ship with a fourth-wicket partnership of 60.

But when Munsey was caught and bowled by Andrew Libby (6-45), the writing was on the wall.

Chad Keegan and Cater frustrated Cornwall until the former was caught behind and Oxon went on to lose three wickets in six balls to leave them on 125-8.

Brock and Harvey Eltham put on a ninth-wicket stand of 21, but it only delayed the inevitable as the latter was caught down the leg side by Libby, before Will Rooney was dismissed two balls later as they were all out for 146.