Shropshire bowlers crush Oxfordshire
Shropshire's bowlers skittled Oxfordshire in their second innings for one the lowest totals in the club's Minor Counties Championship history.
County historians were reaching for the record books today, after the Cats secured their first Western Division victory of the season yesterday.
Albrighton-based Ross Aucott, along with Yorkshiremen Gurman Randhawa and Ben Sanderson, formed an attacking unit the away side could not cope with on day three.
Oxfordshire were dismissed for a paltry 54, handing Shropshire victory by 166 in just the 30th over of their batting response.
The visitors could take some solace that it was not their lowest-ever Championship total - they mustered just 33 against Buckinghamshire at High Wycombe in 1925.
It was definitely their poorest show with the bat in Championship competition against Shropshire, next to 87 at Christ Church in 1983. The Class of 2014 showed them how it was done.
Left-arm spinner Randhawa led the way with 4-15, proving an ideal foil for the right-arm fast bowlers who provided chief support.
Aucott was nearly as formidable with 3-15 while Sanderson took 2-19, also running out Jamie Perkin as he backed up.
Opener Vishane Perera's 21 proved to be as good as it got for the shell-shocked visitors, who threw their chance of victory away.
A flurry of wickets had sounded like the death knell for Shropshire at the back end of day two, losing five for just 39 which looked to have left them with an uphill struggle.
Their fate was still hanging in the balance after they left for 259 just after midday, starting the morning on 184-7 from their second innings.
They opened play with Tom Weston the first to go, trapped lbw by Francois Vainker after 13 runs for the day, leaving him on 24.
The recalled Gregory fell just short of a half century, dismissed for 46 caught by Jonny Cater off Lloyd Belcher after opening his account on the day. Aucott joined him at the crease.
He added an unbeaten 14 at the close but last batsman Sanderson left for a duck, bowled by Vainker after three balls, their batting challenge coming to an end in the 97th over.
A wicket had fallen around Aucott as Sanderson couldn't contribute, but they would later prove worth their weight in gold with the ball.
Any notions that Oxfordshire would clean up and head home with the spoils were firmly rebuffed, as Shropshire prevailed in a league match for the first time this season.
Defeats in Wales and against Herefordshire at Shifnal last month, with three debutants including Aucott and Evans fielded in the latter, proved the precursor to a brighter display.
By Craig Birch
