Shropshire struggle on opening day against Wales

A maiden Minor Counties century for St Fagans and Cardiff MCCU batsman Oskar Kolk, and a second of the season from Cardiff’s teenage opener Umar Malik, put the visitors in a commanding position.

Wales, bottom of the table going into the three-day clash, posted a whopping 421 after Shropshire won the toss and opted to bowl first.

They did lose their last five wickets for 26 runs with slow left-armer Warrick Fynn (4-75), playing on his home ground of Oswestry, claiming his fourth haul of four wickets or more in successive innings that helped his side to maximum bowling points.

Second-placed Shropshire would have wanted early wickets but the visitors reached 44 before a breakthrough came when Joe Voke was bowled by the returning Jack Twigger for 31.

And that was the cue for Kolk and Malik to wreak havoc, taking advantage of playing on a small ground.

Malik hit 13 fours and three sixes but eventually fell for exactly 100 when he was caught by Steve Leach off Fynn.

Skipper Brad Wadlan added a rapid 54 off 40 balls and, when Chris Matthews was run out for 28, the visitors were 372-4.

Cameron Herring was caught and bowled Fynn for six and, as Wales went for a big finish before the end of their 90 overs, Kolk's mammoth knock came to an end on 141 when he offered a catch to wicketkeeper Ryan Lockley off Alex Wyatt.

That sparked a collapse as Roman Walker went for six when he was caught by Sam Whitney at backward point off Fynn.

Majied Ilyas made one before being caught by Alexei Kervezee off Wyatt and Lockley snapped up a catch to dismiss Samuel Pearce for 20 off Fynn. Wyatt (4-101) wrapped up the innings with Twigger taking a catch to remove Richard Edwards for seven.

Shropshire lost captain Leach for 10 early in their reply when he edged a delivery from Edwards to wicketkeeper Matthews.

It looked like the hosts would escape further damage but just before the close Omar Ali was bowled by Ben Roberts for 25.

Twigger came in as nightwatchman as the hosts finished on 68-2, 353 behind.

Shropshire will hope to force their way back into the game, with table-toppers Berkshire struggling in their clash at Cheshire.

The defending champions collapsed in the evening session at Boughton Hall to finish 63-6 in reply to the home side's 254-9.