New Shropshire cricket captain Anthony Parker ready to 'get stuck in'
Anthony Parker tomorrow begins his reign as Shropshire's cricket captain ready to get "stuck in" to the task at hand.
His first priority is to get the cricket team's Unicorns Championship campaign back on track when they take on Herefordshire tomorrow at Shifnal Cricket Club (11am).
Three debutants will take to the field as Shropshire shuffle the pack for the three-day match.
Ross Aucott, Joe Carrasco and Adrian Evans will make their county bows, and there is a recall for Elliot Green. Richard Oliver, Omar Ali, Jack Edwards and Mohammed Ishtiaq make way from the team well beaten by Wales earlier this month.
Parker was unveiled yesterday as the successor to previous skipper Oliver, who stood down earlier this month after earning a deal with Worcestershire.
"It is just a case of looking after the team for the foreseeable future and trying to get the Championship back on track," said Parker.
"It is always a closely fought battle between us and Herefordshire. We tend to know quite a lot of their players because they are the neighbouring county and a lot of their players play in the same leagues as us. And it is the first home game of the campaign so it will be nice to get stuck in."
He could hardly wish for a more appropriate setting for his first game at the helm, having spent 16 years at Priorslee Road before moving to Shrewsbury in late 2012. And he is hopeful that his familiarity with the ground will help give his team an edge against Herefordshire.
Parker said: "I had a great time at Shifnal and it is a great place to play. I feel very privileged to lead the county out there for the first time as captain.
"It will be a great occasion and hopefully a bit of insider knowledge of the wicket and certain areas of the ground could come in handy."
Parker was vice-captain last season and played an integral part of the team which went so close to glory in both the Unicorns Knockout Trophy and the Championship last summer.
The Cats put together a 10-game winning-streak before defeats to Berkshire in both competitions scuppered their chances of winning both late on in the season.
This team has enjoyed a less auspicious start to this season, bowing out of the Trophy at the group stages prior to their recent Championship defeat to Wales.
Parker insists he is not looking too far ahead on the eve of his first game in charge.
He said: "This year it has been a frustrating start but it is just a case of trying to bounce back.
"A lot of players have moved on. It's a transitional period for the county but we just want to enjoy it and do as well as we possibly can in the remaining games."
Shropshire: Anthony Parker (Shrewsbury)(Capt)(Wkt), Ross Aucott (Wolverhampton), Joe Carrasco (Oswestry), Adrian Evans (Quatt), Elliot Green (Shrewsbury), Sam Griffiths (Shrewsbury), James Ralph (Bridgnorth), Gurman Randhawa (Ossett), Neil Saker (Reigate Priory), Ben Sanderson (Rotherham Town), Tom Weston (Bridgnorth);12th man, Tom Shaw (Shifnal).
