Skipper bowled over by Shrewsbury's Mike Barnard
Skipper Ben Stebbings insists opening bowler Mike Barnard has a key role to play for Shrewsbury this season as the London Roaders prepare for back-to-back home games.
The consistent Barnard grabbed five wickets as the county town club gained their first Birmingham League Premier Division win of the season last Saturday, a convincing 144-run triumph at Kidderminster.
Stebbings, a big admirer of the seamer, now hopes he will again hit the heights when Shrewsbury host Wolverhampton tomorrow before Shifnal visit in the second round of the ECB National Club Championship 24 hours later (both noon starts).
Stebbings said: “Mike’s unbelievable and is so under-rated. He’s definitely one of the best seamers in the league, he’s fantastic and you can always rely on him.
“He didn’t bowl as well as he normally can do in his first two or three overs last weekend, but he came back really strongly and picked up a five-for. He got Neil Pinner out, which was a key wicket, as he was the one that could have potentially won them the game.
“I’ve known Mike a long time as we were best mates at university, so him and the Fosters were one of the reasons that I joined the club last year. I know what I’m going to get from him.”
Stebbings stressed he’s also encouraged with the impact of the latest addition to the Shrewsbury side after Australian batsman Tim Ward scored his maiden 50 for the club last weekend.
Ward, 19, from Sydney, plays first grade cricket for Parramatta in the New South Wales Premier League and has quickly settled into playing English club cricket for the first time.
“Tim batted very well,” said the captain. “He looked fantastic and made it look easy. It was a very good knock and I think he’s going to be a good player for us.
“For a young lad, he looks so composed at the crease, nothing fazes him.
“You’ve got to keep expectations realistic because he is only a young lad and it’s his first trip over, but he does look a good player.”
Stebbings now wants Shrewsbury to build on their victory at Kidderminster but is expecting a tough game against a Wolverhampton side likely to include several players with First Class experience, among them ex-Surrey all-rounder Aneesh Kapil and former Worcestershire paceman Chris Russell.
He said: “It will be a tough game as they look a good outfit this season. We’ll have to up our game again - but there’s no reason why we can’t with the team we’ve got.”
