Warwickshire Access CC vs Shropshire Disability D40 at The Lant.

Shropshire won the toss and elected to bat.

Adam Marshall began in a typically aggressive fashion as he crashed a 21-ball 35 that included five 4s and a six. He added 58 with Kevin Baker for the opening wicket in just 7.2 overs. Baker went on to make 48 from 56 balls with 10 boundaries as he continued where Marshall left off. Callum Rigby joined Baker when Marshall was dismissed. He scored a run-a-ball 58 with ten 4s and a six as Shropshire put themselves in a strong position. Warwickshire then began to chip away at their middle order, and Kearan Gibbs picked up 4/29 as Shropshire lost wickets regularly. Roman Pugh chipped in with 2/34 as Warwickshire pulled the game back well after Shropshire’s fast start. Damon Morris added 15* before they closed on 202/8 from their 40 overs. Marshall and Rigby continue to impress with the bat, but they’ll need their bowlers to step up in the second half of this game.

Oliver Harrison bowled Noah Eyles with a big inswinger to reduce Warwickshire to 14/1. An excellent piece of thinking from Baker ran out Tom Clarke as the home side lost their second wicket. Harrison struck again when he bowled Dean Wattison with another good delivery as Shropshire continued their good start. Marshall had Ed Buss caught by Adam Woodhouse for 22 to leave Warwickshire in further trouble. Rigby trapped Gibbs LBW before Ewan Woodhouse bowled Louis Blair to leave Warwickshire six down as Shropshire’s fantastic start continued. Haroon Irshad held firm throughout, and he added 103 with Aqeel Hudda, who made a run-a-ball 60 with eight 4s and a six before being bowled by Rigby. Irshad went to make 75* before retiring. He struck thirteen 4s and a six in his 65-ball knock to lead Warwickshire to a narrow 2-wicket victory with 25 balls remaining.

Shropshire return to action in two weeks when they play Cheshire at Norton-In-Hales, a game I am hoping to attend. I apologise if I have missed anything in this report. The Scorecard on play cricket is very sketchy. I must thank Rab Copper for his help in piecing together the Warwickshire innings.