Shropshire cricketers’ Minor Counties season ended in disappointing fashion with a nine wicket defeat to Cheshire inside just two days at Alderley Edge.

After the dramatic highs of last week’s MCCA Knockout victory over Lincolnshire at Durham’s Chester-le-Street ground, a much-changed Shropshire were brought back to earth with a bump against Cheshire.

The result meant Shropshire finished their campaign with just one victory in the western division.

And that left county cricket co-ordinator Terry O’Connor a frustrated figure.

He said: “The result and the overall performance was quite disappointing. To get beaten inside two days was obviously not something we were hoping would happen.

“They got too many runs – probably 100 too many – and we didn’t bat very well in the first innings or the second innings.

“But despite that there were a couple of encouraging signs. Both the debutants Ben Price and Jack Edwards played very well and hopefully we can now look to the future.”

Of course the 2010 season will be forever remembered for Shropshire’s superb victory in the MCCA Knockout competition but O’Connor is now calling on the side to transfer that form into the three day format.

He added: “The knockout was obviously a huge success but in terms of the championship we are a little bit disappointed.

“We only managed to win one match and lose three so we didn’t do as well as we think we can.

“It’s a very, very young side and hopefully we can come back next year with a bit more experience.

“We would like to think we can challenge at the top end of this division and we think we’ve got the players to do that. We’ll continue our policy of promoting young Shropshire players are and see where that gets us.”