Joe Stanley targets a return to Shropshire action in 2024

The Worcestershire academy spinner took career-best figures of 11-159 across both innings in Shropshire’s seven-wicket defeat to Wiltshire in their final NCCA Championship match this week.

The Wolverhampton-born off-break bowler starred in the first innings of the game taking 9-83 from 30 overs, and now he has set his sights on playing more three-day cricket for Shropshire.

He said: “I like playing for Shropshire, so I am pleased to have done well and it is great to get some wickets. They are best my best-ever figures by quite a big margin.

“I want to play for Shropshire as much as possible next year, so I am pleased I managed to contribute this week.

“If I can be the main spinner, and try to work my way up the batting order a little bit, that is something I would like.

“I have had a decent season playing quite a few Worcester 2nd XI games and academy games.

“And I am heading to Australia this winter which will give me some independence. Hopefully that will benefit both my cricket and just me in general.”

Stanley plays for Wolverhampton in the Birmingham & District Premier Cricket League, and he has taken 23 wickets so far for them this season – with three games still left to play.

And he is hopeful he can continue to improve, adding: “I think my strengths as a bowler are my accuracy, and being able to spin the ball.

“Over the course of the winter, and with the help of coaches, I am hoping to work on my seam position as sometimes it comes out a little bit scrambled.

“When the wicket does not spin, it tends to slide on and if I can do this then it will make it more threatening even when conditions are not conducive for bowling off-spinners.”

It was a disappointing end to Shropshire’s three-day campaign after a great win against Dorset two weeks before.

But Ed Home, head of cricket, was happy with the way the team performed in the context. He said: “We had a young side out due to a few enforced changes in personnel from our last game at Dorset.

“Setting it in that context, I was pretty happy with much of what we achieved against a strong Wiltshire side.

“A lot of players got starts with the bat, but were unable to go on and convert. Bowling wise, we dropped some catches and had we held on to them the game could have ended up being a lot closer.

“In the third innings, we had ourselves in a good position and could have perhaps gone on and set Wiltshire a more challenging total, but that’s cricket.”