Shropshire seal six wicket win over Wales minor counties

Oswestry’s Warrick Fynn, playing at his home club ground, bowled Shropshire into a strong position on the final day by taking four wickets as Wales, 73-2 overnight, were dismissed for 148 in their second innings.

That left Shropshire chasing 214 for victory and, thanks to half centuries from Joe Carrasco, his second of the match, and Alexei Kervezee, they made assured progress towards their target.

Wales started the final day with a lead of 138 runs, but Shropshire’s spinners soon got to work with the ball. The visitors quickly lost opener Joe Voke, who had just reached 50 when he was bowled by Fynn.

Kervezee (2-46) picked up his first wicket of the match, bowling Cameron Herring for five, and the former Worcestershire all-rounder soon struck again, trapping Brad Wadlan lbw for 28, to reduce the visitors to 102-5.

Fynn, who claimed 11 wickets in the match in Shropshire’s victory at Dorset earlier this month, then bowled Samuel Pearce for 10 before Bridgnorth leg spinner Sam Whitney (2-4) got in on the act, with Majied Ilyas caught behind by Ryan Lockley for three, just after Wales had stretched their lead to more than 200.

Roman Walker managed just a single before he fell to Oswestry team-mate Fynn for the second time in the match, edging a catch to Lockley, to leave Wales on 141-8.

Richard Edwards was bowled by Whitney without scoring before Chris Matthews was last man out for 38, caught by Kervezee off Fynn, an eighth wicket of the match for the in-form all-rounder whose second innings figures were 4-35 from 16.3 overs.

Shropshire lost an early wicket in their chase with Omar Ali caught by Voke off Edwards for eight with the score on 11. Skipper Steve Leach contributed a run-a-ball 31 before being stumped by wicketkeeper Matthews off Oskar Kolk just before lunch to leave Shropshire 54-2.

Carrasco and Fynn put on 75 for the third wicket before Carrasco went for 54, caught by Voke off Wadlan with the score on 129.

Fynn, bowled by Ilyas for 32, quickly followed him back to the pavilion.

But then Kervezee, who ended unbeaten on 50 from 39 balls, and Ross Aucott (28no) joined forces with the score on 142-4 and shared an unbroken partnership of 72 to guide Shropshire to a convincing victory inside 42 overs.