Over 70s XI claim first win
Cricket Shropshire’s Over 70s are leading the way for Shropshire seniors with a win and a tie in their last two games.
They travelled to Burslem to take on a combined Staffordshire/Derbyshire team and skipper Peter Hayes won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first.
Andy Parkyn led the way with the ball claiming 2-43 while Hayes bowled a miserly spell of 1-12 from eight overs as the hosts were restricted to 183-4 from their 40 overs.
Hayes also led the way with the bat with 55 while openers Carlton Murray chipped in with 26, Geoff Bristow with 34.
Despite losing wickets along the way including the skipper with three runs required, Dave Shaw and Richard Chapman ensured victory was achieved with three overs and three wickets to spare.
The tie came when they hosted Lancashire at Wroxeter & Uppington CC.
The visitors won the toss and finished their 40 overs on 182-5 with Hayes claiming 2-28 and Parkyn 2-27.
Openers Murray (30) and Bristow (48) then put on 81 for the first wicket in the reply and Bluey Thomas top scored with 55 in the reply.
But wickets began to fall in the chase for quick runs at the end of the innings and Shropshire finished on 181-8 to leave the game tied.
Opener James Ralph hit 71 off 83 balls for the Over 50s 1st XI when they travelled to Banbury to take on Oxfordshire, although his efforts could not prevent a defeat.
Mark Jones chipped in with 28, while Bobby Gill, Carl Ward and Will Askin all hit 20 as Shropshire made 218-9 in reply to Oxfordshire’s earlier total of 260-7.
Peter Axon had led the attack claiming two early wickets to finish with 2-42, while Devi Patnaik claimed 2-25.
The previous week, Askin top scored with 37 while Terry Hughes hit 29 as Shropshire were dismissed for 107 at Himley. Worcestershire knocked off the winning runs without losing a wicket.
The Over 50s 2nd XI slipped to defeat when they hosts neighbours Staffordshire at Albrighton CC.
The visitors batted first and finished on 270-7 with Julian Gallimore claiming 3-37 and David Powell picking up two wickets.
In reply, opener Andrew Yates top scored with 32 as Shropshire were bowled out for 126.
The batters fared little better the following week when they travelled to Alderley Edge CC to take on Cheshire.
Batting first, they were bowled out for 128 with Dave Watkins top scoring with an unbeaten 32 batting down the order. Cheshire knocked off the runs for the loss of one wicket claimed by Richard Upton.
The Over 60s travelled to Cropston to take on Leicestershire in a game which was affected by the weather.
Batting first, Shropshire had reached 102-4 from 32 overs with Jon Archer unbeaten on 49 when the rain arrived and their innings.
Leicestershire were then set a revised target of 136-2 from 32 overs, and they reached their target in the 26th over for the loss of two wickets which fell to Peter Hayes and Lol Woodhall.