Shropshire’s cricketers were left in a spin as their assault on Minor Counties one-day silverware was emphatically ended at Oxfordshire.

James Ralph’s side were beaten by seven wickets at sun-kissed Challow as the hosts booked their place in the MCCA Trophy quarter-finals with victory in the winner-takes-all final pool game.

Oxfordshire eventually got past their victory target of 212 with just four balls to spare as they opted to take a chanceless approach to their chase.

But, in truth, the victory was far more comfortable than requiring five runs from the final over suggested.

Indeed, Shropshire never truly threatened to regain the initiative from the moment they suffered a middle-order collapse when well placed to post a daunting total.

And, just as in their opening group game defeat to Bedfordshire at Shrewsbury in April, it was a lack of nous against the spinners which proved their downfall.

At 95-2, off 18 overs, the visitors had a total in excess of 280 well within their sights.

But the dismissal of Jono Whitney for 54 off 51 balls began a match-defining 15 overs as Shropshire lost five wickets for 39 in that spell to slump to 134-7.

Credit to the Oxfordshire spin twins of four-wicket hero Luke Ryan and Paul McMahon who managed to tie down the visitors and offer a wicket-taking threat on a pitch offering some assistance to the slow bowlers.

But how Shropshire contributed to their own demise.

So solid was the platform they had built, that milking the spinners for three-an-over without major damage to the wickets column would have allowed Shropshire to launch a sustained assault on the less effective seamers later on.

But those hopes evaporated with poor shot selection.

The impressive Whitney should not even have been on strike for the ball which proved to be his last, the Bridgnorth all-rounder rejecting an easy single with Rob Foster off the proceeding delivery.

And that error was compounded when he was bowled seconds later by Ryan attempting a late cut.

Foster followed for 33 shortly after and Shropshire’s innings threatened to fall apart when Ralph holed out to Nathan Hawkes at long-off to give Ryan more joy.

And when Duncan Catterall and Jack Shantry were both trapped leg before by Ryan, Shropshire were starring down the barrel.

There was to be late impetus with a patient 29 from Anthony Parker and a swashbuckling unbeaten 27 from Ted Bayliss off 11 balls.

But 211-9 was always likely to prove well shot of a competitive score as Oxfordshire timed their chase to perfection, taking few risks.

They were given the ideal start with Damian Shirazi and Richard Kaufman putting on 81 for the first wicket.

A spectacular catch from Whitney accounted for Kaufman and gave Andy Gray a wicket, but Oxfordshire’s relentless progress continued.

Shropshire appeared a little subdued throughout in the field, although deserve credit for taking Oxfordshire to the final over in a losing cause.

Whitney and Catterall each collected a late wicket but an excellent 100 from Shirazi put the game out of Shropshire’s reach as a boundary from Hawkes off Whitney finally sealed Shropshire’s fate.