Skipper Foster has cause for more celebration

Traffic problems on the A38 couldn’t stop the Shropshire lads winning by seven wickets as they chased down their victory target of 219 at Quarndon.

Foster won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first and tight opening spells from Andy Parkyn and Dave Ashlin saw them restricted to 18-1 from the first 10 overs.

Derbyshire then accelerated the scoring rate, but three wickets in the last seven overs, including 2-21 for Tym Fern, saw them finish on 218-6.

A solid opening partnership between Foster and John Hemmings saw Shropshire reach their 100 in the 21st over before the latter was trapped leg before for 43 with the score on 108.

Elwyn Jones then joined his skipper in the middle and the pair kept up with the rate putting on a partnership of 56 before Foster was beaten by a ‘jaffa’ to be out for 86 off 83 balls, and another wicket soon followed to leave Shropshire on 175-3.

But Jones (42 not out) and Dave Brammer (26 not out) made sure there were no scares as the victory target was reached with more than two overs to spare.

The Over 60s second XI travelled to Denton to take on Lancashire, and skipper Andrew Chapman was starting to regret his decision to ask the hosts to bat first as the openers put on a stand of 143.

But Barry Jones (2-27) and Geoff Bristow (4-57) nipped in with wickets at the end as Lancashire finished on 238-6.

Shropshire suffered an early setback in their reply as the skipper was dismissed for two trying to force the pace, but Jones and Dave Shaw took the score on to 65 before the latter was dismissed for 27.

Two more quick wickets followed, but Jones continued to take the attack to the hosts, hitting 82 off 75 balls before he was well caught as Shropshire slumped to 126-6.

But 28 from Richard Chapman helped the team finish on 177-8, picking up three batting points in the process.

It was a disappointing start to the season for the Over 50s with defeats for both sides.

The firsts travelled to Gloucester City Cricket Club to take on Gloucestershire without a number of regulars, and saw their hosts rack up 319-6 with Darren Shimmons the pick of the bowling attack with 2-27.

In the reply, Ed Home hit 26, Graham Trow 29, Ian Walker was unbeaten on 70 off 87 balls, Neil Salisbury hit 42 and Dave Nock was unbeaten on 23, but Shropshire finished 91 runs short on 228-6.

At Wem, the Over 50s second XI restricted Warwickshire to 218-9 with skipper Keith Higgins picking up 3-23 off his nine overs on his home ground – and he is on a hat-trick with his first delivery in his next game.

Steve Cowie (36) got Shropshire off to a great start in the reply as they reached 55-0 off 12 overs, but the rest of the batting then crumbled as they slumped to 92 all out including five leg before decisions.