Pictures: Shropshire run the Pears close
Shropshire fell just short in a brave chase against Worcestershire at Bridgnorth last night – but they may just have unearthed the latest future graduate to the Pears.
James Ralph's side lost by 36 runs in a high-scoring Twenty20 challenge match that was big on entertainment for the 500-plus strong crowd at Cricket Meadow.
Shropshire ultimately couldn't match the scoring of opening pair Richard Oliver (48) and Daryl Mitchell (94 not out).
But the Minor Counties side were helped all the way in their pursuit of their 237 target by opening batsman Ross Aucott.
Aucott showed he could be the next export to New Road to join Shrewsbury cricketers past and present.
Jack Shantry, Joe Leach, England Under-19 international Ed Barnard and another London Road man, Joe Clarke, have already made the grade at Worcestershire.
Wrekin College graduate Aucott, who plays for Wolverhampton, scored his first half-century for Shropshire and was one of the stars of the home innings, as he hit 51 off 32 balls.
He was also awarded the game's champagne moment for an audacious reverse sweep that went for six off Sri Lankan overseas spinner Sachithra Senanayake.
Worcestershire
Oliver c Clarke b Randhawa 48
Mitchell not out 94
Kohler-Cadmore b Sanderson 80
Gidman not out 1
Extras 13
Total (for two) 236
Shantry 4-0-43-0-1, Leach 4-0-42-0, Barnard 3-0-45-0, Sanderson 4-0-41-1, Randhawa 4-0-35-1, Ralph 1-0-22-0
Fall: 1-81, 2-230
Shropshire
Clarke b R Whiteley 3
Aucott b B D'Oliveira 51
Leach c K-Cadmore b Chowdhry 18
Barnard b Morris 64
Gregory not out 37
Ralph st Cox b S Senanayake 1
Clarke st Cox b S Senanayake 3
Shantry not out 20
Extras 3
Total (for six) 200
Chowdhry 4-0-31-1, Morris 4-1-30-1, Whiteley 3-0-39-1, Senanayake 4-0-30-2, Mitchell 1-0-24-0, D'Oliveira 3-0-34-1, Gidman 1-0-12-0
Fall: 1-10, 2-52, 3-129, 4-162, 5-165, 6-179
Barnard, who made his senior Worcestershire debut against New Zealand last week, was top scorer for Shropshire.
An expert knock of 64 came off just 31 balls before succumbing to Charlie Morris, after the hosts were forced to chase when they lost the toss.
But Worcestershire showed their professional prowess as they scored steadily, through former Shropshire captain Oliver and Mitchell.
Left-hander Oliver was soon into his stride, smashing a six and a four off the fourth over off Leach.
Another four boundaries followed in the next over off Barnard, before another six clattered onto the pavilion roof off the pace bowling of Ben Sanderson.
Oliver eventually went in the eighth over when he was caught behind by Joe Clarke off Gurman Randhawa, the first wicket going down at 81.
But if Shropshire thought the hard work was done with, they were forced to think again as Tom Kohler-Cadmore upped the strike rate with a brutal display of power hitting.
Kohler-Cadmore hit sixes in the 10th and 11th overs off Sanderson and Randhawa – the latter occasion when Shropshire missed a chance of another wicket when Barnard dropped Mitchell when he was on 38.
Kohler-Cadmore went on to smash 80 off 33 deliveries before falling to Sanderson, attempting a sweep shot in the third ball of the last over with the score on a very healthy 230.
Mitchell's half-century duly arrived off his 41st ball in the 14th over off Leach, a boundary drive through mid-wicket for his seventh four.
The highlight of Kohler-Cadmore's impatient knock was three sixes in the 16th over off Barnard.
And although Shantry managed to slow the run rate down slightly, Mitchell hit successive sixes off Ralph in the 18th over, the first after Sanderson missed a diving catch at mid-wicket.
Shropshire got off to a difficult start and Clarke lasted just 10 balls, before falling to Ross Whiteley in the third over for three runs.
Aucott had an escape in the next over when his hook shot was dropped by Senanayake. And he survived to produce that classy reverse sweep off the same player.
Aucott eventually fell in the fourth ball of the 13th over after an innings that included five fours and two sixes when he misjudged a delivery by Brett D'Oliveira.
Shropshire wickets fell steadily with Leach going for 18 off 11 balls as he attempted to keep up with the required rate.
But there was still a brave attempt at hauling down the target in the final over by Shantry, who smashed an unbeaten 20 off just five deliveries at the end.
Shropshire coach Karl Krikken said: "It's great to get Worcestershire here and it was a superb exhibition of Twenty20 cricket. The crowd got their money's worth.
"There are a few talented lads playing for Shropshire and, hopefully, one of them will make the step up."
