Lower order runs helps U18 Girls to win
A vital 41 from Sophie Parton batting at No 10 helped Shropshire Under 18 Girls to victory over Warwickshire when they travelled to West Bromwich Dartmouth.
Batting first, plenty of Shropshire batters got in then got out as they looked to set their opponents a target.
Rebecca Mullard-Wilson hit 27, Amy Connelly and Millie Parry 21 and Anusha Singh 20 but Shropshire were reduced to 177-8.
But 30 from Isabelle Crann and Parton’s efforts helped boost the Shropshire total to 255-9 as they were bowled out with one over remaining in their innings.
In reply, Connelly, Parry and Crann all picked up two wickets apiece as the bowlers chipped away at the Warwickshire batting line up, eventually dismissing their hosts for 223 to give them a 22-run victory.
Finn Jones hit a century as Shropshire Under 18s took on Herefordshire in a two-day game at Eastnor.
His 121 off 134 balls was the cornerstone of Shropshire’s first innings score of 305-8 before they declared in the 62nd over.
Charlie Ward chipped in with 24, Arjun Cherukuri 29, Max Ferrington 30 and skipper Griff Davies and unbeaten 47.
Herefordshire then replied with 264-9 before they declared, with Alex Heath claiming 3-54, Ralph Davies 2-66 and Hugo Lowther 2-37.
In their second innings, Shropshire were bowled out for 187 with Ward hitting 31 at the top of the order, Will Jones 28 and Wilf Peers 52 off 41 balls at No 10.
The hosts then recovered from 63-3 in their reply to knock off the 230 required for victory with Lowther again picking up two of the wickets to fall.
Shropshire’s Under 16 boys hosted Worcestershire in their final game of the season at Shelton CC and set them a victory target of 216 batting first.
Opener Will Parkinson-Witte hit 62, Luca Evans 37, Freddie Salisbury 22, and Will Walker 21, but the innings faded away towards the end of the innings.
The visitors reached their victory target for the loss of four wickets.
The Under 15 Girls had a busy week with mixed fortunes in a number of T20 and Hundred games against Warwickshire, Staffordshire and the Isle of Wight.
In the West Midlands Under 15s T20 tournament they hosted at Wellington, their first game saw them take on Warwickshire who scored 181-4, Isabelle Crann picking up two wickets.
In reply, Shropshire finished on 99-5 with Mills Jones top scoring with 30.
In their second game against Staffordshire which was reduced to 10 overs per side, Shropshire batted first and finished on 67-1 with Jones unbeaten on 42 off 37 balls. They reached their victory target for the loss of two wickets.
They then took on Warwickshire again in two games at Wrekin College. In a T20 game, Shropshire were dismissed for 57 with the Bears getting to their victory target for the loss of four wickets – two apiece for Crann and Sophia Parton.
In their Hundred game, Shropshire restricted Warwickshire to 74-8 with Crann and Isabelle Wedgebury claiming two wickets.
In reply, Shropshire claimed the win after 87 balls with Jones hitting 30 and Parton unbeaten on 24.
In their T20 game against the Isle of Wight, Shropshire batted first and finished their innings on 161-6 with Megan Wigley hitting an unbeaten 58 and Jones chipping in with 20.
The visitors were then restricted to 97-7 thanks to an inspired spell of bowling from Annabelle Burton who claimed 5-12 from her four overs.
In the Hundred game that followed, the visitors batted first and finished on 90-5 with Alice Deacon claiming 2-12.
Deryn Martin then hit 32 off 29 balls and Charlotte Arran 22 as Shropshire reached their victory target without losing a wicket.
The Under 16 Boys also took on their Isle of Wight counterparts in two T20 games at Ludlow CC.
In the first, they restricted the visitors to 130-5 with Ralph Davies claiming 2-13. In the reply Morgan Ward hit an unbeaten half century off 35 balls before retiring and Harry Parton made 39 off 29 as Shropshire claimed victory in the 16th over.
In the second game, Shropshire made 148-7 with Dylan Barkley hitting 32 and Ward 35. The Isle of Wight knocked off the runs for the loss of three wickets.
The highlight of the Girls U13s game against Worcestershire at Willey CC was a half century for Mills Jones as they slipped to a 78-run defeat.
