Date-stamped : 10 May97 - 06:18 Averis in rescue mission By David Green in The Parks First day of three: Oxford Univ (129) v Warwicks IN THE 49.3 overs permitted by rain and then hail, Oxford University, having chosen to bat first, were bowled out for 129 with Graeme Welch taking a career-best four for 39. Oxford are inexperienced, with only one Blue in captain Mark Wagh, and though Warwickshire rested Allan Donald and Gladstone Small and have Tim Munton recovering from another back operation, the attack they fielded was strong enough. Uneven bounce did not help the students` cause, Byron Byrne`s promising innings ending when a Dougie Brown torpedo struck his ankle. Peter Morgan and Alex Scrini were also lbw victims as Oxford declined from 51 for three to 70 for eight. Earlier, Welch had made the first inroads, having Wagh deftly caught at slip, taking Roger Hudson`s bails with a trimmer and swinging one in to beat Charlie Lightfoot. Fortunately for Oxford James Averis, a capable batsman who looks a little low at No 10, refused to panic. Though beaten occasionally, he relied on front foot defence while giving the ball a good thump whenever it was possible. The last two wickets had put on 59 before Nick Knight, playing his first game since smashing a knuckle in New Zealand, recalled Welch to wind up matters with Averis not out on 36. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Patel in Oxford history books By David Green in The Parks Second day of three: Oxford Univ (129 & 21-3) trail Warwicks (297) by 147 runs CHETAN PATEL performed the first hat-trick for Oxford since John Easter in 1967 yesterday removing Michael Powell, Graeme Welch and Dougie Brown with the last ball of his 13th over and the first two of his 14th. Otherwise Patel, 25, who is a post-graduate taking a diploma in social sciences, had a fruitless day. Warwickshire were rescued by Dominic Ostler, Neil Smith and Ashley Giles. Ostler, who made 51, watched from the other end as Patel had Powell lbw padding up, bowled Welch off stump and found Brown`s outside edge for Mark Wagh to make a fine slip catch. Patel said: "I had a trial with Warwickshire in 1992 and I know all three of my hat-trick victims well. I even used to room with them." Ostler, batting with much composure, then supervised the addition of 49 runs for the seventh wicket before departing lbw. Smith now launched himself at a tiring attack, making his unbeaten 55 off only 44 balls. Giles also hit the ball hard, if less furiously. When Nick Knight declared 168 runs ahead the pair had put on 123 together in 12.5 overs and had taken control. When play started at noon after early rain, Oxford`s seam bowlers commanded respect. Chris Battarbee had Knight neatly caught off bat and pad and then swung one back in to bowl David Hemp. The lively James Averis ended Wasim Khan`s forceful innings via a slip catch. Patel`s hat-trick increased Warwickshire`s embarrassment but from then on the tide turned. Inevitably, after such a swing of fortunes, Oxford`s batsmen met problems. Wagh, back when he should have been forward, was bowled first ball, Roger Hudson was palpably lbw and Charlie Lightfoot was caught at short leg. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Battarbee shines in a crushing defeat By David Green in The Parks Warwicks (297-7 dec) bt Oxford Univ (128 & 115) by an innings & 53 runs WARWICKSHIRE, though without six capped players either resting or injured, were still far too strong for Oxford University and wound up an emphatic win by three o`clock when Dougie Brown had Chris Battarbee caught behind. The pitch, which was very dry, had been used before for a friendly match. By the third day it had began to assist bowlers, uneven bounce becoming rather more noticeable, but it was far from spiteful. Much of the damage for Oxford had been done on Thursday evening when, following on 169 runs adrift, they lost three good wickets to Brown and Graeme Welch. Within an hour, they had declined further to 39 for six. Chetan Norman Patel, Thursday`s hat-trick hero, then dominated a seventh-wicket stand of exactly 50 before Brown got one to lift to his glove and lob gently into the gully. After that, the end came swiftly. Oxford, though outclassed, fought gamely and bowled very tidily in taking the first Warwickshire wickets for 125 runs. Battarbee is a useful bowler with a high action and natural outswing, and Patel and James Averis also looked very capable. For Warwickshire, Neil Smith, Dominic Ostler and Wasim Khan had useful batting practice, while on the bowling front Giles, who looked a little rusty on Wednesday, clearly benefited from some long spells. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)