Shrews are happy to start with a win

They edged newly-promoted Wem in a rain-affected clash at London Road in the shortened and regionalised Graham Williamson Trophy Group One.

Special running tracks, no changing rooms and regular hygiene breaks were just some of the changes as the players donned their whites for the first time, competitively, since the lockdown.

And the rain threatened to dampen the parade as Wem managed 31 of the allocated 40 overs before the heavens opened.

Shrewsbury were set a revised target of 134 from 30 overs, achieved with just under three overs to spare.

George Hargave (42) and Rob Foster (49) led the way before George Garrett (13) helped see the hosts home – the Warwickshire ace having taken 2-25 with a handy spell with the ball.

Skipper Will Parton said: “The weather wasn’t great, which was typical. Sunny on Friday and Sunday, but hammered it down Saturday after we’d been waiting for months.

“It’s a funny one to have first, a team with nothing to lose in a rain-affected game, it can even the odds.

“They could have pushed us harder, definitely. There was a 10-over period they should have tried harder, all they needed to do was hit the men in the deep for singles but they didn’t.

“Maybe it was a bit of inexperience from their players. But they’re a Birmingham League side now, it makes no difference whether they came up from the Shropshire League. Everyone earns their right.

“A couple of wickets could have made it difficult for us. With rain around, if we keep coming off for rain you never know if you fall behind the rate, it can be difficult.

“But risk-free they kept us ahead and accelerated towards the end to get it done.”

Shrewsbury visit Shifnal on Saturday as they look to make it two from two in 2020.

Skipper Parton admitted the ‘new normal’ took some getting used to.

“There were specific batting lines to run between the wickets, which you had to try to remember,” he said. “You go for a quick single then need to remember where to run.

“Every six overs or 20 minutes there’s a hygiene break, everyone has to sanitize and the ball has to be sanitized.

“No celebrating wickets is a funny one, we had to stop ourselves at the first one, you can’t go high-fiving and hugging.

“It can be subdued. It is different. There are no changing rooms. It started raining after the game and I couldn’t give a team talk. There were too many people in the clubhouse. Everyone just had to go.”

Elsewhere, new boy Matty Simmonds showed what he was capable of with the ball as his five-wicket haul helped Bridgnorth to a comfortable opening day victory at Wolverhampton.

Sam Whitney’s men had the Gregorys, Ian and Simon, chip in 57 and 59 respectively as the visitors managed 218 from their 40 overs.

And Wolverhampton, the only non-Shropshire outfit in the GWT Group 1, fell short by 34 runs as Simmonds posted 5-38 on his Bridgnorth debut following an off-season switch from Wellington.

Bridgnorth were put in by their hosts and got off to a fine start as openers Ian Gregory and James Kinder, another debutant, combined for a partnership of 101.

Simon Gregory top scored with 59 before Simmonds showed he was useful with the bat too with a quick 28.

Wolverhampton struggled in response, falling to 9-3 and despite a dogged 77 from Will Nield, who eventually fell to Simmonds, the hosts fell short as Simmonds tore through the low order.

Roman Walker lit up Oswestry’s winning return to action with his fine 81 helping to see of Shifnal.

Walker added to knocks from Oliver Clarke (37), Josh Darley (26) and Matthew Richards (29) to help his side to 201.

Christopher Cathrall was in good form with the ball for Oswestry, taking 4-33 as Shifnal failed to reach a revised target of 183 from 33 overs.

A 33 from Shropshire’s Xavier Clarke was the visitors’ best effort but he fell to Cathrall, as Oswestry secured the 55-run success.

Oswestry head to Bridgnorth on Saturday as the sides go head-to-head on the back of their victories as local cricket got back into full swing.