Match postponed - for 12 months

Shropshire’s premier cricket knockout final has been postponed - until next year.

The Chronicle Twenty20 Knockout final between Shrewsbury and Newport was due to be played at Madeley last Sunday, but was cancelled due to rain.

It was initially rearranged for Sunday, September 21 - but a further hitch has since arisen as Shrewsbury will be involved in the Birmingham League Twenty20 finals on the same day.

That was due to be held at Kidderminster this Sunday, but has been postponed as flooding at New Road has forced Worcestershire to move their final two First Class games of the season to the Chester Road venue.

That left Chronicle Knockout organisers investigating the possibility of playing their final this Sunday - but that hasn’t proved possible.

“It is disappointing but the rain has caused us big problems so there’s not a lot we can do,” said organiser Clive Smith.

“The 21st has been taken away from us because Shrewsbury have got the commitment at Kidderminster and the Newport lads had already arranged things for this Sunday so it’s nobody’s fault.

“We weren’t going to go beyond September 21 because you are virtually in October.”

The rescheduling is the latest in a string of sporting events in and around Shropshire to fall foul to the weather.

But the news is brighter for Bangor’s National Hunt meeting on Friday.

Course officials remain confident of racing going ahead and have no plans to call an inspection at this stage.

“We have had about 6mm of rain at Bangor this morning but the forecast is improving and the river levels, which is the main concern, are dropping,” said clerk of the course Ed Gretton.

“At the moment we are pretty happy and perfectly raceable.”