Double blow for Shropshire
Shropshire’s hopes of qualifying for the Unicorns Twenty20 finals day ended as they were beaten in both of their final group matches at table-toppers Buckinghamshire, writes Stuart Dunn.
Shropshire travelled to Gerrards Cross needing to win both games to pull level on points with Buckinghamshire - but the hosts delivered two strong performances to book their place at Wormsley in August.
Buckinghamshire won the day’s opener by seven wickets before also coming out on top in game two when they were victorious by 71 runs.
Invited to bat first in the day’s opening match, Shropshire totalled 110-7 from their 20 overs. Openers Jack Edwards and Alex Phillips, who put on 44, both made 24 before Joe Carrasco chipped in with 23 and Simon Gregory added 19.
Saif Zaib inflicted much of the damage by taking 4-25.
Opener Conrad Louth led a successful chase for the hosts, hitting seven fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 65 from 48 balls, as Buckinghamshire responded with 111-3 inside 15 overs, a result which ensured qualification for finals day as group winners.
Buckinghamshire followed it up with another impressive display in the second game after opting to bat. Despite Jack Twigger taking an early wicket, Shelvin Gumbs and Masoor Khan shared a second-wicket stand of 85, broken when Khan was caught by Edwards off Quatt’s Ryan Wheldon for 28.
Gumbs eventually went for 82, from 47 balls, caught behind by Phillips off Edwards, a knock which included six sixes and five boundaries, as Buckinghamshire put 171-6 on the board.
Shropshire, in reply, were soon in trouble at 34-4. Alexei Kervezee top scored with 29 while there were contributions down the order from Twigger (17no) and Ryan Lockley (17) as the visitors closed on 100-7, with Khan claiming 3-19 and Zaib 2-20 as Buckinghamshire made it seven wins from eight group matches.
Shropshire finished fourth in Group 2 with three wins and five defeats in the competition this season.
Shropshire’s chairman of selectors Bryan Jones was quick to praise yesterday’s opposition. He said: “Buckinghamshire are obviously a very good side and deserved to win the group. They have got a lot of match-winners and are a very confident side.”
Shropshire begin their Unicorns Championship season against Dorset at Shrewsbury on Sunday.
