It’s honours even as the runs flow

Almost 450 runs were scored with the visitors posting 358 after opting to make first use of a good batting track.

Shropshire ended on 86-2 off 28 overs, although the loss of Joe Carrasco for 43 to what turned out to be the last ball of the day was a late blow.

Adam Quiney was making his Shropshire debut and, playing on his home club ground, he got off to a fine start when he bowled Matthew Thompson for 12.

And things got better for the hosts when, without any further addition to the score, Alex Wyatt had Josh Mailling trapped lbw for 11 to leave Devon 23-2.

Quiney struck for a second time to have Dan Pyle caught by Alexie Kervezee for 27 with the score on 71.

But a terrific fourth-wicket partnership of 159 between Tom Lammonby and Josh Bess put the visitors in control.

Both batsmen have scored double centuries for Devon this season and again looked in good touch.

Bridgnorth skipper Sam Whitney made the vital breakthrough when he had Bess caught by Quiney three short of a century.

Lammonby, who signed his first professional deal with Somerset this summer, went past 100 and took his side beyond 300 before falling to the spin of Warrick Fynn, caught by Kervezee for 130.

Shropshire then began to fight back and the last five wickets fell for just 57 runs.

Luke Bess hit 33 before offering a catch to Steve Leach off Wyatt and Quiney, who finished with 3-94 off 21 overs, struck again as Hal Kerton was caught by Ross Aucott for nine.

Wyatt had Dan Goodey leg before for three before Josh King became the Shifnal man’s fourth victim for 14, Whitney taking the catch.

Fynn bowled Toby Codd for two as Devon were dismissed still with 8.2 overs of their 90 remaining.

Shropshire’s reply got off to a poor start as Omar Ali edged Goodey to Josh Bess at second slip without scoring.

But Carrasco and skipper Leach put on 86 and looked like seeing things through to the close until Carrasco was bowled by Edward Middleton for 43.