Shropshire cricketers come up short in loss to Cheshire

Having suffered an eight-wicket loss against Staffordshire in their opening Group 2 fixture, Shropshire slipped to a 46-run reverse away to Cheshire yesterday.

And for the second time this summer, it was a below-par performance with the bat that sentenced Steve Leach’s side to defeat.

Having won the toss and asked their hosts to bat, Shropshire were frustrated in their bid for an early breakthrough as openers Will Evans and Daniel Leech put on a half-century stand.

Shifnal’s Jack McIver then trapped Evans leg before with the score on 51 before removing Evans and Ryan Brown in quick succession as the score advanced to 76.

Lee Dixon and Rick Moore then added 59 for the fourth wicket before Dixon (36) fell to Shifnal’s Charlie Home.

Home also ended Moore’s stay for 59, after he had shared a 59-run sixth-wicket stand with James Seward, in a spell that saw him return fine figures of 3-28 from nine overs.

McIver added another victim to finish with 4-37 while Shrewsbury’s Dillon Pennington bagged 3-29 to help dismiss the hosts for 214 in the 47th over.

In reply, Shropshire suffered an early blow when Ollie Westbury (Shrewbury) fell for one.

Leach and Home took the score to 44 before Leach departed for 23.

Home, McIver and Will Parton all fell in quick succession as Shropshire slumped to 66-5.

Ross Aucott soon followed but seventh-wicket pair Omar Ali and David Waintwright then dragged the visitors back into the contest with a 78-run partnership.

But Ali’s dismissal for 44 with the score on 159 sparked a late collapse that saw Ryan Lockley, Pennington and Alex Wyatt fall for the addition of just nine runs with Wainwright left unbeaten on 49 as Shropshire were bowled out for 168.