HAMPSHIRE'S hopes of winning their Middleton Cup group were rocked in a disastrous 18-4 (148-106) defeat by Oxfordshire at Banbury.

After an opening romp against the Isle of Wight and two Top Four Champion-ship victories, the honeymoon is over for new county boss John Plomer with prospects of reaching the cup quarter-finals hanging by a thread after one of the heaviest defeats in Hampshire's recent Middleton Cup history.

They now need a massive performance in the final qualifier against Berkshire on July 6 - and they also need neighbours Isle of Wight to do them a favour by taking a few points off Oxfordshire.

Berkshire, who thumped the Islanders 20-2 at the weekend, top the section with 38 points followed by Oxfordshire and Hampshire (both 22) and Isle of Wight (6).

Hampshire must collect a minimum of 20 points against Berkshire to pip them for first place while hoping the Islanders can secure two rinks against Oxfordshire who currently have a shots difference superior to Plomer's men.

From what has been seen so far this summer, both scenarios look remote.

Berkshire, who have already hammered Oxfordshire 18-4, are undefeated and the chances of Plomer's side capturing 20 points against them at Atherley on Saturday week seem a forlorn hope - especially after Hampshire's tame surrender at Banbury.

Hampshire in fact felt the Oxfordshire backlash from their Berkshire defeat.

"They had tremendous team spirit and came out really fired up and determined to put that result behind them - they made us look second rate," was Plomer's honest assessment.

Plomer was not helped by the late absence of doughty warriors Russell Morgan and Julian Haines. Skip Morgan pulled out because of his continuing tooth abscess but the withdrawal of Haines was harder for the manager to fathom.

A regular skip in past seasons Haines had played three to Martyn Sekjer against the Isle of Wight but told Plomer he was unhappy to continue in that position. As Plomer refused to reinstate him as a skip, the Boscombe Cliff man was relegated to the sidelines.

Ken Marsh - unbeaten as a cup skip last year - was drafted in for Morgan.

The Hants Police player began promisingly leading 8-1 at five ends. He was level 9-9 after ten ends but then the wheels fell off and he crashed 28-11 to Alan Prew.

Peter Ward lost just as heavily while Nicky Smith encountered Greg Moon in inspired form and was 18-0 down by the 10th end before being thrashed 34-10. Nicky Jones fared slightly better, falling by 11 shots after being all square with Calvin Carpenter at halfway.

Brightest spot for Hampshire was the Paul May foursome. The Pyestock skip had been beaten on the Isle of Wight but, with a fresh lead in Darren Clark (Bournemouth) and with England international Dean Morgan promoted from lead to three, May triumphed 37-14.

Sekjer's Sports Centre colleague Richard Shelley replaced Haines and that rink earned Hampshire's other points, recovering from 16-14 behind at 15 ends to outgun Alan Ley 21-17.

Skips' scores: (Hampshire first) Martyn Sekjer 21 Alan Ley 17; Peter Ward 12 Baden Sparks 29; Ken Marsh 11 Alan Prew 28; Paul May 37 Glenn Allen 14; Nicky Jones 15 Calvin Carpenter 26; Nicky Smith 10 Greg Moon 34.