Shropshire cricket star helps Bears to T20 glory

Shropshire cricket starlet Theo Wylie played a key role as Warwickshire won the second XI T20 Cup for the second year running.

The 20-year-old contributed with both bat and ball as the Bears, captained by former Sandwell College student Hamza Shaikh, retained their crown courtesy of a 27-run win over Nottinghamshire in the final at Wormsley cricket ground in Buckinghamshire.

Yet the all-rounder’s most significant contribution earlier in the day came earlier in the day, when he was tasked with bowling the final over of a thrilling semi-final against Northamptonshire.

With the latter needing just 11 runs to win off the last six balls, left-arm spinner Wylie restricted them to just nine to see the Bears into the final.

There he struck 27 from 21 balls to help his team reach 180-6 batting first, before taking a wicket as Notts fell short in the reply.

A delighted Shaikh, who top scored in the final with 55, said: “To win it last year and do it again back-to-back, it’s a credit to the lads.

“We knew that if we got to 180 or 190, we were right in it. We just needed a bit of time in the middle to set up for the end of our innings which worked out nicely.

“With the ball, today just shows the importance of wickets in a T20 game and how quickly the momentum shifts.

“Throughout the tournament I think everyone has shown what they can do and then when it comes Finals Day, it's really pleasing to see the stuff that the lads have worked on and the plans they have worked on, being executed.”

Wylie, who plays for Shropshire in minor counties cricket, has been a regular in the Bears second XI this summer and is expected to feature in the club’s One-Day Cup campaign when it begins later this month.

He signed his first professional contract at Edgbaston in 2024 and played for England under-19s last summer.