Yorkshire win so special for Steve Gale

In front of stunned onlookers at St Georges in Telford, middle-order batsman Gale put on a memorable 105 partnership with Pakistani overseas Mushtaq Mohammed to down the star-studded visitors, including Geoffrey Boycott, Martyn Moxon, Ashley Metcalfe, David Bairstow and Kevin Sharp.

It was just the first time a first-class county side had lost to minor counties opposition on two occasions, after the White Rose’s defeat to Durham 11 years previously.

Gale, who played 108 Minor County matches for Shropshire between 1975 and 1987, scoring 2,865 runs along the way, recalled the ‘very special’ occasion and the county’s determination to punch above their weight.

“Beating Yorkshire with Shropshire in 1984 was a very special day,” said Gale, who lives in Shrewsbury.

“We were three down in front of a big crowd at St Georges and then Mushtaq Mohammad and myself put on over 100.

“I went in at five and I remember Mushy had an unbelievable close call for lbw almost as soon as I went in. He got away with it and went on to get 80. I got 68 and we managed to get a competitive score. It was just one of those great days.

“We went to Warwickshire in the next round and also actually played quite well at Edgbaston.”

Gale, Shropshire captain in 1985, put the victory over Yorkshire as a career highlight alongside Shrewsbury’s dramatic last-gasp National Knockout victory over Hastings at Lord’s one year earlier in 1983.

Gale was skipper of the Shrewsbury team that featured Andy Barnard, Ken Mulhearn, Richard Tudor, John Foster and Steve Ogrizovic – who missed the final through football commitments.

After 512 teams entered the knockout competition, Gale recalled the final’s ‘unbelievable’ climax.

“We got three wickets in the last over to beat Hastings and win the game,” added Gale, who after retiring from playing had 10 seasons as a first-class umpire until 2017. “It was unbelievable as you would probably lose 99 times out of 100 in that situation, but that was the winning mentality we had.

We had been knocking on the door to reach the final at Lord’s for a few years. That was just a team that all came together at the right time.”