Minor Counties Championship: Herefordshire defeat Shropshire

Shifnal Cricket Club, Priorslee Road

Herefordshire claimed their first Minor Counties Championship win of the summer as they handed Shropshire a second successive defeat.

A nine-wicket match haul from slow left-arm spinner Gurman Randhawa at Shifnal was not enough to prevent Shropshire losing by 260 runs.

Set 374 to win, they were skittled for 113 before lunch on day three.

Herefordshire drew their opening game against Cheshire after being held up by the last-wicket pair.

In Anthony Parker's first game as captain following Richard Oliver's mid-season departure for Worcestershire, Shropshire made a good start.

They bowled out Herefordshire for 152, with Randhawa taking 4-21, well backed up by opening bowler Ben Sanderson (3-17) and Wolverhampton's Ross Aucott (3-36).

Debutant Joe Carrasco (29) then helped Randhawa put on 50 for the first wicket, only f•22-24 June Herefordshire beat Shropshire by 260 runs (Shifnal)or Shropshire to collapse to 143 all out, despite James Ralph's defiant 55.

Herefordshire slow left-armer Brad Wadlan did most of the damage, taking 6-26, and they piled up the runs in the second innings before declaring on 364-8.

Former Glamorgan batsman Michael O'Shea top scored with 70, and there were also half centuries for Wadlan (67), Joe Dodd (63 not out) and Dave Ball (53).

Randhawa took 5-146 from 43 overs, while fellow former Yorkshire seamer Sanderson picked up three more wickets.

Shropshire started the final day needing a further 306 for victory, having reached 67-1 overnight, but despite Oswestry opener Carrasco making 47, they then collapsed again, losing their final five wickets for just one run.

Herefordshire's next game is at home to Dorset, at Eastnor from 6-8 July, while Shropshire are at home over the same three days to Oxfordshire at Bridgnorth.