Shropshire Star

Shifnal have got to do better, despite cruise at Wem

Shifnal made it back-to-back wins in group one of the Birmingham League with a comfortable six wicket victory at Wem.

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But while pleased with the result, skipper Chris Murrall warned his team will need to perform better when coming up against some of the division's more talented sides.

In North Shropshire, Wem won the toss and chose to bat only to be restricted to 172 all out in 39.4 overs.

The highlight of their innings was a fourth wicket stand of 85 between Martyn Davies (41) and Matthew Cohen (34).

Jack Edwards (3-28) the most successful bowler for Shifnal.

Led by Steven Leach (75), the visitors then went on to cruise to a six wicket success with 15 balls remaining.

Robert Clarke (27) and Murrall (23) also made important contributions with the bat.

"It was good to get another win on the board although we didn't have to get out of second gear to get the job done," Murrall said.

"We were ill-disciplined early on with the ball and could easily have restricted them to a score between 110 and 120 if we'd been anywhere near our best.

"We'll need to be much better than that against the better sides in the group.

"I was pleased with how we went about the chase. We had killed the game by by half way through the second innings without taking any risks at all.

"We're now looking forward to the game against Bridgnorth this weekend which I am sure will be much tougher."

Wem will travel to Bridgnorth where they will face a side sitting top of the table after they maintained their impressive early season form with a three wicket victory at Shrewsbury.

Put into bat at London Road, Shrewsbury slumped to 53-5, then 72-6 before Warwickshire’s George Garrett hit 43 from 75 balls to see them to 133 all out at the end of the 40th over.

Bridgnorth also made a poor start to their innings, slipping to 19-4 and on to 71-7.

But an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 63 between Ben Lees (57no) and Baugh (26no) secured the win.

The result means Bridgnorth sit four points clear of both Shifnal and Wolverhampton at the top of the table – with Wolverhampton beating Oswestry at Danescourt by 180 runs.

Oswestry initially bowled well, reducing the home side to 50-3 before Will Nield (103no) and Charlie Home (74) took Wolverhampton to 244 before the fall of the fourth wicket.

Their final total of 251-5 from 40 overs proved to be far too many for Oswestry, who crumbled to 71 all out in 21.4 overs.