We only have ourselves to blame, says Shropshire cricket captain Richard Oliver
Captain Richard Oliver admits Shropshire only have themselves to blame after the weather scuppered their hopes of progressing in the Unicorns Knockout Trophy.
The Cats went into their fourth and final Group Three match at Cumberland yesterday needing to win to advance in a competition where they reached the final last year.
But just four overs had been played when the heavens opened and the game was abandoned soon afterwards. Cumberland and Cheshire, who finished second and first, advanced from the group as a result.
It was The Cats' second rained-off game in the competition, coming two weeks after their trip to Northumberland also had to be abandoned.
But Oliver refused to blame the weather for his side's elimination, saying: "We have only got ourselves to blame for losing to Cheshire last weekend.
"You can't beat the weather but you can beat the opposition and we didn't beat them last weekend.
"You need a lot of luck to get to a position where you can make the final. We made it last year and we had a lot of luck as well as playing some good cricket.
"Unfortunately this year we have played enough bad cricket to get knocked out at the group stage."
He added: "It was pretty much end-of-the-world rain and when it stopped we went to inspect the pitch and the covers had leaked.
"There was standing water on the pitch so there was no way we could play."
Shropshire's attentions will now turn to the three-day format of the game and their forthcoming Minor Counties Championship campaign, which will begin against Wales in Pontarddulais from June 8-10.
And Oliver hopes the team's failure to advance in the knockout trophy will serve as a wake-up call.
He said: "The margins are pretty fine and you can't really afford to lose any games, as we found out."
