Shropshire slip to defeat despite Steve Leach heroics
A superb unbeaten century from skipper Steve Leach proved in vain as Shropshire slipped to defeat in their final MCCA Knockout Trophy clash of the summer.
Opener Leach carried his bat but saw his side come up just short in a keenly-contested clash with last year’s winners Herefordshire that went down to the wire.
Shropshire needed 12 to win from the final over but Herefordshire’s Jamie McIlroy held his nerve superbly as the visitors mustered just two runs with Leach left 122 not out from 145 balls.
The hosts had looked set to complete a comfortable success after reducing Shropshire to 93-5 in pursuit of their 265-7.
But Dan Wainwright (29) joined forces with Leach to share a 78-run sixth-wicket stand that gave the visitors some hope.
After Ryan Lockley departed with just one run added to leave the score 172-7, Jack Edwards struck 17 before he fell with the score on 199.
Leach then found an ally in debutant Gurjit Sandhu as the pair edged towards Herefordshire’s total.
But after taking the score to 254-8 with one over remaining, McIlroy dashed their victory hopes.
Herefordshire’s total was built around ex-Worcestershire and Leicestershire batsman Neil Pinner.
Pinner made 72 from 65 balls with Joe Crichard hitting 54 and Ian Bullock ending on 47 not out as the hosts made 265-7.
Wainwright had been the most Shropshire’s most successful bowler, picking up 2-47 from his 10 overs.
The defeat means Shropshire have won just one of their four Group 2 games as Staffordshire and Cheshire progressed to the quarter-finals.
