Shropshire pray for a dry spell in Cornwall clash
Shropshire will hope the weather is much kinder as they look to get their Durant Cricket National Counties Championship season up and running against Cornwall.
The three-day Western Division Two fixture starts at Bridgnorth Cricket Club on Sunday (11am).
Shropshire are keen to make up for lost time after rain restricted their opening Championship fixture against Wales earlier this month to just 20.1 overs during three frustrating days.
Both teams had to settle for four points from a draw at Brymbo.
“We have a strong side out for this match and we’re looking forward to playing the best we possibly can,” said Shropshire’s head of cricket Ed Home. “Bridgnorth is a lovely place to play and they regularly host three-day games. It’s a ground where Shropshire have had quite a lot of success over the years.”
Shropshire make two changes to the side selected for the Wales match, with top order batters George Hargrave and Ollie Westbury, who were both unavailable for the game at Brymbo, replacing Jack Home and Luke Thornton.
“George and Ollie are both proven performers, so it’s good to have them available again,” added Home.
Shrewsbury opener Hargrave will have good memories of playing for the county at Bridgnorth as he scored an unbeaten century for Shropshire on his Championship debut against Cornwall at Cricket Meadow in August 2021.
The same fixture saw Westbury, who was playing for Cornwall at the time, also reach three figures.
Cornwall were also involved in a rain-affected draw in the opening round of Championship matches, although more play was possible as they emerged with 12 points from their match against Dorset at Truro.
Admission is free for spectators on all three days at Bridgnorth.
Parking is restricted at the ground to players and officials, so spectators are asked to use the nearby Smithfield Car Park.
Shropshire: George Hargrave (Shrewsbury), Ollie Westbury (Himley), Tom Fell (Wolverhampton), Andre Bradford (Swarkestone), Peter Clark (Shrewsbury), Tim Maxfield (West Bromwich Dartmouth), Charlie Home (Shifnal, captain), Ben Lees (Shifnal), Sam Whitney (Bridgnorth), Sam Ellis (Wolverhampton), Ben Roberts (Shifnal).
