Shropshire ring changes for long trip to Cornwall
There are four changes to the Shropshire team for the National Counties Cricket Association Championship match against Cornwall, which starts at St Austell CC tomorrow (11am).
From the side which beat Wales by seven wickets at Oswestry earlier this month, captain Sam Whitney, Sam Baugh and Sam Dorsey are unavailable, while Shrewsbury’s Luke Thornton, having made an impressive Championship debut, is injured. With Whitney unavailable, Graham Wagg will captain the team against Cornwall.
Worcestershire’s former Worfield seamer Ben Parker will make his first Shropshire appearance of the season, Bridgnorth all-rounder David Laird returns from injury, while Jack Home and Joe Stanley, both part of Worcestershire’s Academy, will make their Shropshire debuts.
Parker, who has previously played for Shropshire’s Academy side and represented the county at a number of age group levels, played for Worcestershire in a 2nd XI match against Somerset this week.
He made his first team debut for Shropshire last year and played in the Championship victories over Cornwall at Bridgnorth and Devon at Sidmouth.
Home, who was included in Shropshire’s Academy team last season, is a top order batter who plays for Shifnal in the Birmingham League. A Shrewsbury School student, he is also a regular member of their 1st XI.
Stanley, a Thomas Telford School student, is an off-spinning all-rounder who plays his club cricket for Wolverhampton in the Birmingham League.
Laird, who returns after injury prevented him from being available against Wales, hit his maiden half-century for the county in the opening Championship match of the season at Wiltshire earlier this month. Shropshire coach Dave Nock, looking forward to the three-day match at St Austell, said: “Jack Home and Joe Stanley are two promising young players, while we are also delighted that Ben Parker is available to play in this game.
“We are pleased to welcome David Laird back into the team following injury and he batted really well against Wiltshire.”
Nock added: “We are going into the game with confidence following our two-day win over Wales.
“We are looking to take that positivity and momentum into this game against Cornwall and the remaining fixtures.”
Shropshire: Jack Home (Shifnal), Will Wade (York), Andre Bradford (Swarkestone), Graham Wagg (Wem, captain), Ryan Wheldon (Quatt), David Laird (Bridgnorth), Joe Stanley (Wolverhampton), Sam Ellis (Formby), Ben Lees (Bridgnorth), Ben Parker (York), Ben Roberts (Brymbo).
