Shropshire ‘shell-shocked’ as they exit the Super 12s

Having impressed in winning three of their four completed group matches earlier this month to qualify for the newly-created Super 12s stage of the competition, Shropshire were beaten by Berkshire by six wickets and then Cornwall by nine wickets at Slough Cricket Club.

Reflecting on his team’s Twenty20 Cup campaign, Home said: “We did well in the group stages. We were outplayed in the first game in the Super 12s, slightly shell-shocked in the second game, but compared to last year we won half of the T20 games we played. We would probably be the first to say this format is not our strongest suit, so there’s a few positives to take going into the 50-over competition, where I believe we will perform better.”

Invited to bat in Sunday’s opening match by hosts Berkshire, Shropshire totalled 135-4 from their 20 overs.

Ollie Currill, making his Shropshire debut after injury ruled him out of the group stages, hit an unbeaten 53 from 41 balls, which included three sixes and four boundaries. Andre Bradford (36) and Tom Fell (24) also weighed in. Spinner Lewis Evans, the Shrewsbury captain, claimed 3-26 as Berkshire chased well to advance to 139-4 from 13.2 overs.

Opener Johnny Connell led the way with 52, while skipper Dan Lincoln, with a rapid 34, and Euan Woods, unbeaten on 30, also played their part.

A quick turnaround meant Shropshire were soon back in action for their second match, and once again the toss went against them as they were asked to bat by Cornwall.

Shropshire lost wickets at regular intervals as they were bowled out for 67 inside 16 overs, with Ellis Whiteford claiming 3-12.

Will MacVicar’s unbeaten 47 from 31 balls guided Cornwall, last year’s beaten Twenty20 Cup finalists, to 70-1 inside 10 overs.

Shropshire captain Home added: “The wicket was slightly damp early on and Berkshire bowled very well in some pretty bowler-friendly conditions, so I thought we did relatively well to get up to 135.

“They then came out swinging and fortune favours the brave. They hit a few lovely shots, got off a flier and we never came back from that.

“Lewis Evans bowled well and took three wickets and Ollie Currill had earlier batted well, so that’s encouraging moving forward.

“When you lose the first game in the Super 12s, you go into the second game slightly deflated, so it’s tough, and the second game is one we will sadly want to forget.

“We lost a couple of early wickets. We went down swinging, but everything we tried to hit went to a fielder, so we were out very quickly and Cornwall knocked them off even quicker.”

Shropshire will next begin their NCCA Trophy campaign with a 50-over match against Suffolk at Shifnal on Sunday, June 2.

The competition will also see Shropshire face Herefordshire at Whitchurch either side of other group matches away to Norfolk and Staffordshire.