Wins for Senior 2nd XIs

There were victories for both the Over 50s and 60s 2nd XIs as the Shropshire’s Senior sides continued their 2024 campaigns.

The Over 60s 2nd XI made the trip to Rode Park to take on Staffordshire, and skipper Geoff Bristow won the toss and decided to bat first.

After the loss of an early wicket, John Hemmings and Jon Archer steadied the ship with an 81-run partnership before the latter was bowled for 28.

With 10 overs to go in the innings and wickets in hand, Hemmings then began to open up and find the boundaries before falling four runs short of his century.

Dave Shaw hit a breezy 21 off 24 balls at the end of the innings to help boost the Shropshire total to 191-6 off their 45 overs.

The feeling in the dressing room was that it was a good total considering the wicket, and Andy Parkyn picked up two early wickets and then Ian Biddle then chipped in with 3-30 from his nine overs to limit the Staffs reply.

The bowlers and fielders continued to apply the pressure as Shropshire continued to pick up wickets before Alan Cowdale claimed the final two in just four balls.

It meant Staffordshire were dismissed for 135 to give Shropshire a well-deserved victory by 56 runs.

The Over 50s 2nd XI hosted their Staffordshire rivals at Wroxeter, and a superb unbeaten century by Dave Powell saw them to victory by two wickets.

Batting first, Staffordshire finished their 45 overs on 215-5 with Kumar Singh claiming three early wickets and Elwyn Jones a couple towards the end of the innings.

Shropshire lost three early wickets in the reply, but opener Graham Trow anchored the innings with 41 and was joined by Powell in a 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket to bring them back into the game.

Powell then dominated, and finished unbeaten on 119 from 110 balls, aided in the victory push by Singh batting at 10 who hit 15 runs off just seven balls as victory was secured with eight balls to spare.

The Over 50s 1st XI fell just 17 runs short of their victory target when they travelled to Oxfordshire.

The hosts batted first and finished on 208-7 from their 45 overs with Chris Hodson and Phil Snape picking up two wickets apiece.

Opener Chris Dirkin hit 61 in the reply, Ian Walker 22 and Adam Shimmons 27 but Shropshire finished their allocation on 191-8.

The Over 60s 1st XI hosted Leicestershire at Shrewsbury CC, and found it tough going against the new ball attack early on, but Warwick Vaughan and Neil Salisbury wore the opposition down with a 221-run partnership for the second wicket.

Vaughan was finally dismissed with three balls left in the innings for 146 from 169 balls. Salisbury was unbeaten on 65 as Shropshire finished on 233-2.

The Foxes lost a couple of early wickets in their reply before they also enjoyed batting on the Shrewsbury track, eventually reaching their victory target for the loss of three wickets. Phil Aston claimed 2-48.