Bridgnorth on the verge of history
Skipper Sam Whitney is backing Bridgnorth to handle the nerves on what could be an historic day at Cricket Meadow tomorrow.
Whitney’s men host Shropshire rivals Shifnal knowing a win will clinch a place in the Birmingham League Premier Division – the top flight of club cricket – for the first time in the club’s 179-year history.
Bridgnorth are second in Division One, 15 points clear of third-placed Shifnal with two games to go.
And the champagne corks will be popping if they can record a sixth straight success, although they will still control their own destiny if beaten as long as they pick up six bonus points.
“It would be absolutely massive (to go up),” said Whitney. “The better player you are, you play better against better players.
“But we’re not getting ahead of ourselves, we’ve still got a job to do.
“There might be a bit of rain about but I’d prefer to play the game. I want to get the job done and not have it go down to the final game.
“The game that we just played against Leamington was really close and there were a few nerves around.
“But I think we will be all right. I’ve told the lads all season to relax and just play cricket.”
Shifnal have sat in second spot, behind promoted Kidderminster, for much of the season. But Bridgnorth won the reverse fixture and Whitney believes they have more depth.
“I think we are a better team but they have individuals who can turn a game on its head,” he added. “I think man for man we are a better team than Shifnal. But they have Steve Leach who has scored a lot of runs, Ross Aucott who can take the game away from you and Alex Wyatt who can win any game with the ball.
“I’m quietly confident. Hopefully there’ll be a big crowd and I’m looking forward to it.
“If you said to me a month ago that we’d be in this position then I wouldn’t have believed you.
“But we looked at the run of games that we had left and a lot of the decent teams we had left we had to play at home, where we usually do well.
“I was quietly confident we would put a few wins together and be up in the top five.
“But I never thought we would be second, 15 points ahead of third. It’s all gone perfectly.”
