Shropshire duo hailed after Minor Counties win
Relieved Shropshire captain Richard Oliver hailed the match-winning partnership of Omar Ali and Anthony Parker after a nail-biting victory over Wales.
The county side edged out Wales by two wickets at Shifnal yesterday in the Minor Counties Knockout Trophy quarter-finals,
That was thanks in no small part to the heroics of Whitchurch's Ali (67) and Shrewsbury's Parker (37).
They combined to put on 82 at a crucial stage in Shropshire's innings, after finding themselves 83-5 chasing a winning target of 191.
Shrewsbury's Tom Cox had helped kick-start the recovery, putting on 45 with Ali.
Ali's contribution was all the more impressive as he had been drafted into the side late on after Joe Leach had been called up by Worcestershire.
And Oliver admitted the Ali-Parker partnership had played a crucial role in the victory, which was eventually achieved with 2.5 overs to spare.
He said: "Omar and Coxy dug in for 45 and suddenly the momentum started to turn our way a little bit, because Omar batted so beautifully.
"To come in and bat on that wicket against the spinners, the way it was turning and bouncing, was impressive. When the rest of us made it look difficult, he made it look easy.
"It's probably one of the best knocks I have seen, certainly this season. It was a match-winning knock with Anthony supporting well. It was a match-winning partnership."
Skipper Oliver also reserved praise for Shrewsbury's Elliot Green, who held his nerve batting at No 10 to see the hosts home – scoring 16 of 10 balls – after they had suffered another trickle of wickets late on.
Oliver said: "Elliot Green is just a superstar. To come in and play the way he did under that pressure in those circumstances was impressive. He took them on and took us over the line."
Shropshire's win sets up an away semi-final against Hertfordshire, the side they beat at the same stage of the competition on their way to lifting the trophy in 2010.
