Shropshire dreaming of a Minor Counties double

But captain Richard Oliver has warned that they have achieved 'nothing' yet despite extending their winning streak to a perfect 10 games in all competitions.

The Cats' latest victory, by 145 runs at Shrewsbury Cricket Club yesterday, saw them maintain pole position in the Minor Counties Championship Western Division.

And they are also just one win away from lifting the MCCA Trophy, having booked a final showdown with Berkshire next month.

But Oliver said: "To win 10 out of 10 is a great achievement, but we have done nothing yet.

"Until we are lifting a trophy we will keep our hearts in the oven and our heads in the freezer.

"It is pretty rare and pretty special to win 10 in a row, but we have still got a lot of hard work to do.

"We are looking to win every game and if we do then we will win both trophies. But we will not be looking any further than our next game, the three-dayer against Berkshire at Whitchurch."

That clash, on August 4-6, will also give Shropshire an early insight into the strengths and weaknesses of their MCCA Trophy final opponents before the teams meet again in Wormsley on August 28.

But with several changes often being made between three and one-day sides, Oliver does not feel the game will have a huge bearing on the other.

He said: "They are different competitions and we could have two totally different sides out."

Shropshire's stunning run of form has seen them defeat Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset and Cornwall in the Minor Counties Championship, and they are on the verge of writing themselves into club folklore.

Further victories against Berkshire and fellow title contenders Cheshire would put them into a championship final.

It would come against the winners of the Eastern Division, which is currently topped by Cambridgeshire. Shropshire last lifted the Minor Counties crown in 1973.

Oliver has publicly thanked the club's backroom staff – 12th man Braden Surrall, physio Mandeep Padhiar, first team manager Terry O'Connor and coach Kevin Sharp – for their help so far this season.

"You are only as good as your back roomstaff and we are very well supported off the pitch," he said.