Shropshire cricketers must stand up and be counted – Richard Oliver

The county head to Nantwich tomorrow still in with a chance of winning the title, though they need a mammoth performance against the current leaders.

Third-placed Shropshire must win, restrict Cheshire to no more than six points and get two more bonus points, while also bettering the result of second-placed Wales who finish their Western Division campaign against Dorset.

But Oliver is refusing to be distracted by the mathematical equation, believing his side already have enough on their hands against a talented home side.

"We are in a position to take the slight opportunity we have going into this game and it's all we are worried about," he said.

"We are not going to worry about bonus points or the score for now.

"All we are concerned with is beating Cheshire, which is no easy task in itself. If that means we miss out on the title by a few points, then so be it.

"We know it is going to be a big ask, but when we've had our backs against the wall this season, we've come out fighting." Shropshire are trying to make history, having not won the championship for 40 years.

For a long time the season had looked set for a winner-takes-all shoot-out in the final game. But Shropshire's collapse against Berkshire in the last fixture handed the initiative to their rivals. Oliver says that defeat is now forgotten.

"It probably took us a week to get over the Berkshire game – it wasn't easy," he said. "But now we are focused on what we have to do and there is a real sense of building some momentum."

Shropshire have called up Shrewsbury off-spinner Henry Blofield for the trip north following the loss of Elliot Green to injury.