Shropshire face uphill Minor Counties battle with Berkshire

Shropshire face an uphill battle to rescue their Minor Counties Championship tie with Berkshire after a disappointing start to their three-day match at Shrewsbury.

The hosts lost the toss and then had to watch as the visitors posted a daunting 320 all out off their 90 overs.

And Shropshire got off to the worst possible start in reply losing both openers before reaching double figures and seeing two more wickets fall before stumps as they closed on 48-4 - still a mammoth 272 runs behind.

And captain Ed Foster, who made just six, was calling on the rest of his batsmen to dig in. He said: "Everyone who bats today has just got to survive and try and get us somewhere near Berkshire's score and give us something to work with.

"We have the players who can do that and we can definitely still win the game. What's important now is that we don't just roll over and let Berkshire build up a big lead on us."

Foster added that the opening day's play was one of disappointment.

"We didn't play particularly well," he said. "It wasn't a great day and we've got a lot of work to do.

"When we came in to bat to lose the openers was disappointing but then to lose two more wickets was even worse.

"It was quite difficult conditions to bat in some murky light but we just needed to see it out."

Andy Gray was the pick of the Shropshire bowlers as he took 3-93 with Steve Taylor and Jonty Mountford picking up two wickets apiece.

In reply opener Alex Huxley was trapped lbw for a duck and Foster soon followed with Chris Murtagh (13) and Rob Foster (8) also out before the close.

It it no left to Jono Whitney, unbeaten on 15, and Richard Oliver to try and reconstruct the innings.

Fourth placed Shropshire need a win to keep alive any hopes of lifting the championship but Berkshire, who are currently second in the table, still have a say in the title race themselves.

By ALEX JAMES