Shropshire were left to rue a poor first innings performance as they suffered a heavy 145 run defeat to Berkshire at Shrewsbury to all but end their tilt at Minor Counties title glory.

The home side were chasing an unlikely 408 to win the game, but ultimately left themselves too much to do on the final day as they were bowled out for 262 just before tea.

And skipper Ed Foster said his side hadn’t done enough to merit a positive result.

Said Foster: “I don’t think we played particularly well all game to be honest.

“Apart from the second session on the second day when we bowled quite well we didn’t do enough.

“It was always unlikely that we were going to win the game and we just lost too many wickets in the morning.

“There was only one stage when Chris Murtagh and Rob Foster were going well and we were something like 100-2 when I thought we might save it.

“But we made too many mistakes. We should have been able to walk to 300 in the first innings on what was a really decent batting track, but we didn’t.”

From 16-1, Murtagh threatened to bring Shropshire back into the game as he made 60 and, together with Rob Foster, put on 78 for the third wicket.

But after Murtagh became former Middlesex spinner Chris Peploe’s first of six victims, the writing was on the wall for the home side.

Jono Whitney and Oliver soon followed to the same bowler and although Andy Gray and Matt Tilt batted for nearly 30 overs for the seventh wicket, it was too little too late.

Tilt fell for 33 and when Gray became the ninth man out for 55 the game was up for sad Shropshire.

By ALEX JAMES