A major selection headache awaits Shropshire’s Minor Counties cricket selectors this weekend.

The team which made a winning start the defence of the MCCA Trophy over Staffordshire at Oswestry on Sunday has been named for Sunday’s long trip to Northumberland for the second round-robin group one encounter.

But the XI has been supplemented by Shrewsbury allrounder Joe Leach.

He played a major part in last season’s Trophy winning team, scoring an unbeaten 67 in the final victory over Lincolnshire at Durham, but missed Sunday’s victory due to university commitments.

“There is a selection dilemma but it’s a nice one to have,” said captain Ed Foster. “One of the 12 will be unlucky to miss out and we will make the decision on the morning of the game.”

It means there is no place in the squad for St Georges seamer Steve Taylor or wicketkeeper and vice-captain Matt Tilt, who was left out in favour of Anthony Parker against Staffordshire.

Shifnal’s Parker responded with a swashbuckling 46 from 32 balls but Foster insisted Tilt still has a huge role to play in Shropshire’s future.

“It’s always a tough call to leave out a wicketkeeper as good as Matt,” added Foster. “We just feel that Anthony brings a better balance to the one-day team. He can be a destructive batsman and allows us to play another bowler if we want to.”

The squad is: Ed Foster (captain, Shrewsbury), Jono Whitney (Bridgnorth), Chris Murtagh (Reigate), Rob Foster, Tom Cox, Dan Bowen, Joe Leach (all Shrewsbury), James Ralph (Kidderminster) , Anthony Parker (Shifnal), Andy Gray (Alvaston & Boulton), Mark Downes (Wellington), Jonty Mountford (Newport).