Shropshire learn plenty about new faces in NCCA Twenty20 Cup

Charlie Home’s side held their nerve to beat Staffordshire by one run in the opening match of Sunday's double-header at Burslem.

Staffordshire later claimed victory by three wickets with a ball to spare in the day’s second match, which was reduced to just five overs per side following a lengthy delay owing to rain.

But Ed Home, Shropshire’s head of cricket, was impressed with the overall efforts of his much-changed team as they gave a good account of themselves.

Seven of the players in the Shropshire side which beat Northumberland in the quarter-finals of the NCCA Trophy a week earlier were not involved at Burslem, which provided opportunities for a number of others.

“This is a perfect chance for new faces to get involved and we’ve certainly found out some very good things about them all,” said Ed Home. "The team have a great environment and people are really enjoying playing.

“Staffordshire won this competition two years ago. They made it through to finals day again last year, which was rained off, so arguably they are still the holders of the T20 competition. We were very pleased with how the team performed.”

Having opened this season’s T20 group campaign with two defeats - one by just three runs, against Cheshire at Wem last month - Shropshire impressively took the honours against Staffordshire in game one at Burslem. It was their second win of the season against their neighbours after beating Staffordshire in the 50-over NCCA Trophy competition at Shifnal by six wickets.

After electing to bat, Shropshire posted 183-5 from 20 overs - their third highest ever score in the competition - with Sahal Malvernkar and Tom Fell playing leading roles. Malvernkar and Fell shared a partnership of 91 for the second wicket, which ended when Fell was out for 52, from 26 balls, with four sixes and as many boundaries.

Opener Malvernkar, who plays his club cricket for Milford Hall in the South Staffordshire County League, went on to enjoy a debut to remember for Shropshire, eventually heading back to the pavilion for an excellent 85, which came off 51 deliveries, and included five sixes and five fours.

Joe Stanley chipped in with an unbeaten 18, with Nils Priestley (2-19) and Tom Brett (2-37) the pick of the home attack.

Staffordshire made a strong start to their chase. Openers Priestley and Liam Banks put on 92 for the first wicket before seamer George McCormick, making his competitive debut for Shropshire, made the all-important breakthrough by bowling Priestley for 49 in the eighth over with a well-disguised slower ball.

Former Warwickshire all-rounder Banks top-scored with 74 from 44 balls, including four sixes and seven fours.

Staffordshire needed 17 to win from the last over bowled by captain Home. Liam Hurt hit 10 from the first three balls, but the former Lancashire seamer was then run out after Fell’s accurate throw from long off to wicketkeeper Ben Lees. The skipper then kept his nerve for the last two deliveries as the hosts ended just one run short of their target on 182-7.

The wickets were shared with one each for McCormick, Home, Stanley, Ravan Chahal, Lewis Evans and Luke Thornton.

“It was a very gratifying performance,” said Home. "I thought 183 was competitive, but Staffordshire were very quick out of the blocks. "We then clawed it back and it’s probably one of our most impressive victories to date when you consider we had quite a few new faces in the side. They all took to it so well and played their parts in what was a high pressure situation.

“George McCormick showed a lot of skill and, after he got Nils Priestley, we certainly weren’t favourites at that point, but we hung in there and managed to get over the line.”

Home also highlighted the contribution of Malvernkar, who previously had made one appearance for Staffordshire, as being key to Shropshire’s success.

“Sahal played a pivotal role and it was a very impressive debut,” he said. "He fitted in brilliantly and underlined why we selected him.

“He fits the bill beautifully for Twenty20 cricket because he does strike a ball very cleanly.

“Our team tends to be geared up for the longer formats, so Sahal coming in certainly gave us fresh impetus. From our viewpoint his partnership with Tom Fell was the defining part of the first game.’’

The day’s second match had been scheduled to start at 2.30pm, but ultimately didn’t get under way until three hours later when, after a rain delay, it was reduced to just five overs per side.

Malvernkar led the way for Shropshire again, top scoring with 21 from 12 balls, as the visitors, asked to bat, made 37-5 from their five overs, with Hurt (2-10) and Priestley (2-21) among the wickets.

Hurt (17no) hit the winning boundary for Staffordshire off the penultimate ball of the match as the hosts progressed to 41-3, with Stanley, Chahal and Shrewsbury seamer Will Jenkins taking a wicket apiece.

"The ground staff at Burslem CC were fantastic and did a great job to ensure we managed to get a second game on,” added Home. "A five-over game tends to be a bit of a lottery. By its nature we lost regular wickets and I thought 37 wasn’t going to be enough.

“We ended up taking it to the penultimate ball, which again underlines how well the players did. On balance, I feel a win apiece was a fair result for the day. As I have previously said, any victory against these guys is always hard earned."

Shropshire have another T20 double-header on Sunday when they will face Cumbria at St George’s Cricket Club.