O’Connor recalled for county

Anthony O’Connor has won a recall to the Shropshire ranks for the crunch MCCA Trophy clash at Bedfordshire on Sunday.

The Wellington seam bowler has been brought back into the ranks to deputise for unavailable St Georges quickie Steve Taylor.

It is a pivotal match for Shropshire, who know they must win and then hope results elsewhere go their way if they are to progress through the group stage and on to the knockout phase.

The loss of the talismatic Dragons star Taylor is a big blow. He has established himself as a key figure in the side with bat and ball, but cannot make the journey to Flitwick CC, near Luton, because of work commitments.

O’Connor is given another chance to shine, having enjoyed a strong start to the season for Birmingham League division one side Wellington.

Twelfth man will be Shropshire under-21s wicketkeeper-batsman Simon Gregory, who plays his club cricket for Whitchurch and is being taken along to gain experience.

“It’s a very important game for us,” said Shropshire’s chairman of selectors Trevor Sheperd.

Cumberland and Oxfordshire meet in Sunday’s other Group 1 clash in Workington. The group then concludes the following Sunday, when Cheshire face Cumberland, and Oxfordshire host Bedfordshire.

Any two of the five sides could yet finish in the qualification places.

Squad in full: James Ralph (captain), John Maunders, Andy Gray, Ed Foster, Jack Shantry, Duncan Catterall, Mark Robinson, Jono Whitney, Atiq-ur-Rehman, Ted Bayliss, Anthony O’Connor; 12th man: Simon Gregory.

By Chris Hudson