Shropshire facing fight to avoid defeat
Shropshire look to be staring defeat in the face as they enter the third and final day of their NCCA Western Division Two clash with Wiltshire.
The home side had managed to peg back their rivals at the start of the second day at Whitchurch CC yesterday, bowling out Wilts for 220 – thanks to off-break bowler Joe Stanley, who took nine of the visitors’ ten wickets.
Stanley returned stunning figures of 30 overs, nine wickets for 83 runs – at an economy rate of 2.77. He had taken seven of the eight wickets to fall on day one and mopped up the final two early yesterday.
However, having been bowled out for 183 in their first dig, Shropshire’s batters faired only slightly better yesterday, this time being dismissed for 226 in 80 overs.
Ollie Westbury fell in the second over for one run , though fellow opener Matt Lamb steadied the ship with 62 from 134 balls. He was supported by Tom Fell (16) and Andre Bradford (46). Ben Lees added 40 late on as the hosts looked to set a defendable total. That left Wilts needing 190 to win and they made serious inroads in the afternoon.
By the end of play, openers Jack Mynott and Dylan Church had reduced the deficit by 74, with Mynott 47no and Church unbeaten on 23.
With the weather set fair today, Shropshire will need early wickets to tumble to give themselves the faintest hope of victory.
