OXFORD hope bowler Samad Fallah can offer an insight into fellow Indian Anupam Sanklecha’s strengths and weaknesses when they visit Shipton-under-Wychwood in Division 2 tomorrow.

Fallah is good friends with the Shipton all-rounder, who marked his first Home Counties Premier League appearance of the season with a half-century in the draw against Cookham Dean last week.

But captain John Barrett is hopeful Fallah holds the key to stopping him.

He said: “Our oversees player (Fallah) plays with him back home in India and they are good friends.

“We will be asking him a bit more about him.

“Hopefully he can give us a heads up.”

Oxford are without the injured Alex Morgan and unavailable Freddie Fairhead.

Shipton skipper Charlie Brain believes his side’s run to the national stages of the Davidstow Village Cup could boost their league ambitions.

The west Oxfordshire side beat Oxford Downs in the county final last Sunday.

Brain said: “Cricket is about momentum, form and time in the middle, it can only help.

“In the years we have done well (in the cup) we have always done well in the league, it is purely the fact we are playing more.”

Joe Barrett returns, while Simon Hole is added to a squad of 12.

Skipper Will Eason is urging leaders Horspath to avoid becoming complacent after opening up an 18-point gap at the top, with victory over Aston Rowant six days ago.

The table-toppers visit second-placed Buckingham Town and Eason knows his side will have to be at their best to maintain their unbeaten start.

He said: “That (complacency) is probably the key word.

“It was a fantastic result last week and Buckingham are just behind us so it will be a challenge in itself.”

Opener Harrison Ward replaces Milly Faruq.

Thame Town bid to build on last week’s win over Buckingham when they travel to Amersham.

Will Rooney and Will Taylor return to the side in place of Ed Barnett and James Adams.

Captain Mike Higgs said: “It would be nice to win another one or two out of the next three for a good first half of the season.”

Second-bottom Rowant host Cookham Dean, with captain Josh Smith calling for a reaction.

He said: “If we perform anywhere near our capabilities we will win games.

“We have got a great squad, we just need to turn up.”

Ricky Hopwood comes in for the injured Chris Watling.

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Oxford (v Shipton-under-Wychwood, away): Perera, Alam, Hall, Clough, Munsey, Barrett (capt), Crosby, Mendis, Eltham, Simon, Fallah.

Shipton-under-Wychwood (v Oxford, home): from Hemming, Perkin, Seacole, C Miller, Dickinson, Sanklecha, Lewis, Cross, Brain (capt), S Miller, Barrett, Hole.

Horspath (v Buckingham Tn, away): Stead, R Eason, Phillips, Raja, Price, Belcher, Davies, W Eason (capt), Foster, Green, Ward.

Thame Tn (v Amersham, away): Higgs (capt), Sutcliffe, MacDonald, Beard, Garg, Mushtaq, Lachlan, Furness, Phippen, Rooney, Taylor.

Aston Rowant (v Cookham Dean, home): Hammond, Tolson, Jewell, Smith (capt), Cook, Morrick, Muttitt, Bethell, Barras, Harris, Hopwood.