Shropshire slip to fourth straight defeat

Shropshire went into their final group game at Lincolnshire knowing qualification was already beyond them.

But they had been targeting further progress in the right direction after running Northumberland close at Oswestry a week earlier when they were narrowly beaten by six runs.

Skipper James Ralph and Robbie Clarke both cracked half centuries, but it was not enough to prevent a seven-wicket defeat against a Lincolnshire side boasting two centurions in Sam Kelsall and Carl Wilson, the hosts sealing victory with more than 11 overs to spare.

Shropshire, without Joe Clarke, who hit a ton against Northumberland, and also in-form Shrewsbury opener Steve Leach, batted first for the first time this season but were soon in trouble at 10-2 with Ryan Lockley and Adrian Evans both failing to trouble the scorers.

Skipper Ralph and Clarke set about repairing the damage by putting on 79 for the fourth wicket before Ralph fell for 50 from 74 balls, a second successive 50 for the experienced Bridgnorth batsman.

Oswestry's Clarke went on to top score with 56 from 112 deliveries, his maiden county 50 - while there were also useful contributions from Simon Gregory (33) and Gurman Randhawa (31) as Shropshire were eventually dismissed for 221 in the final of their 50 overs.

Lincolnshire captain David Lucas, the former Worcestershire seamer, inflicted much of the damage by claiming 6-49.

The early stages of the Lincolnshire innings mirrored Shropshire's as the hosts were quickly in a spot of bother at 31-3 in the 12th over, with Shrewsbury's Sam Grifiths, who took 2-25, marking his first appearance of the season with a couple of wickets.

But that only served to bring opener Kelsall and Wilson, at No 5, together and they went on to share an unbroken partnership of 192 to steer Lincolnshire past the winning post to 223-3 in the 39th over

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