Shropshire complete eight-wicket victory over Oxfordshire
Shropshire defeated Oxfordshire by eight wickets to register an opening Unicorns Championship victory of the season.
After beginning the campaign with draws against Wales and Herefordshire, Shropshire delivered the win they wanted to kickstart their Western Division campaign following three productive days at Shifnal.
Having dismissed Oxfordshire in their second innings for 196, with spinner David Wainwright taking four wickets, it left Shropshire requiring just 94 to seal victory, and skipper Steve Leach led from the front with an unbeaten 48 as the hosts eased to their target inside 22 overs.
The win over Oxfordshire lifted Shropshire, 14 points behind leaders Berkshire, up to second place in the table.
Shropshire started the third and final day 36 runs in front and chasing quick wickets after reducing Oxfordshire to 67-3 overnight.
Jack McIver made the day’s first breakthrough, removing Olly Clarke, caught by Will Parton, for 21 with the score on 89.
Alex Wyatt, who ended with 3-44 from 30 overs, then trapped skipper Jonny Cater lbw for 17 before Oxfordshire slumped to 136-6 when Harry Smith, who top scored in their first innings, departed for a patient 39, Parton holding on to another sharp catch as off-spinner McIver struck again.
Shropshire were frustrated in their quest for wickets for 90 minutes after lunch until young Shrewsbury paceman Dillon Pennington chose the perfect time to take his first Championship wicket, bowling Harvey Eltham for 10.
James Fitzjohn had faced 184 balls for 39 before his stubborn resistance was finally undone by a fine delivery from Wainwright.
That left Oxfordshire on 190-8 and before they knew it, it was all over, the visitors dismissed for 196 as Wainwright struck twice more with successive balls getting rid of Robert Keat and last man Bradley Taylor to give the former Derbyshire left-arm spinner figures of 4-42 from 40.2 overs.
Shropshire quickly lost in-form opener Omar Ali, stumped by wicketkeeper Cater off Eltham for 13, when they began their reply after tea, but Leach was then joined in the middle by Parton and the pair put on 64 before the latter became Eltham’s ninth victim of the match for 24.
But the finish line was firmly in sight and Leach, joined in the middle for the closing stages by Charlie Home, saw the job through.
“We batted really well first innings and bowled really well first innings,” added Krikken. “To keep them to 280 having lost the toss was a great effort.
Read reaction from director of cricket Karl Krikken in Wednesday's Shropshire Star.
