Foster to fore in county chase

Shrewsbury's Foster made a sublime unbeaten 103 at Nantwich yesterday as Shropshire cranked up the pressure on current Western Division Championship leaders Cheshire in the final match of the season.

Hopes of Shropshire forcing the victory they require to win the league appeared to have evaporated when the first day was washed out.

But an excellent performance yesterday, coupled with a gung-ho approach, has raised the prospect - albeit a slim one - of the visitors forcing an amazing victory inside two days.

Cheshire were this morning resuming on 126-5 in response to Shropshire's first innings of 235-8 declared.

Skipper James Ralph's side were today hoping to wrap up the Cheshire innings quickly before adding quick second innings runs and giving the hosts a nervous afternoon to bat out to lift the title.

That Shropshire were in contention was thanks, in no small measure, to Foster's best ever batting performance.

"It's nice to get a hundred in such an important match," he said.

"I had two chances against Oxfordshire earlier in the season at Banbury and got out caught on the boundary for 77 and 65.

"We went out yesterday to be positive because Ralphy only wanted to bat 55 overs after the rain on Sunday and then put them in.

"That probably helped because I didn't have time to think about it and just had to get on with things.

"My only other century was for Shropshire Gents against the Gloucestershire Gypsies and it's one of those things you always want to tick off the list of things you want to.

"I did some work on my batting at Cardiff University over the winter and it's nice to seeing it pay off."

Picture: Shropshire's Rob Foster after his fine century against Cheshire at Nantwich. Photo by Brian Foxall.