HEREFORDSHIRE will be looking to build on their opening day double success

3 May 2024   |   By Richard Prime

Here's a preview of the weekend's action:

HEREFORDSHIRE will be looking to build on their opening day double success against Wales when they conclude their NCCA T20 group matches this weekend.

The county side, which beat Wales twice at Llandysul last Sunday, head for Oswestry to take on Shropshire on Sunday before entertaining Oxfordshire at Brockhampton on Bank Holiday Monday.  The format of both days will see the first game start at 11am with the second following on at 2:30pm, after a lunch break.

Herefordshire head the group with four points from their two victories while Shropshire and Oxfordshire are just behind on two points each after their two scheduled clashes at Wormsley fell victim to the weather last weekend.

Herefordshire were, indeed, fortunate to complete both of their games without interruption considering that, out of 10 venues around the country, only three were able to stage any play. Devon and Cornwall shared a win each in their double-header, but while Dorset and Wiltshire started one of their two games, that was quickly abandoned and the other failed to start at all.

With seamer Charlie Williams unavailable, Herefordshire will rely on the other 11 players from the trip to Wales when they take on Shropshire.  But coach Richard Skyrme will be forced into two changes for the following day’s action at Brockhampton.

Hard-hitting Ollie Walker and seamer Adam Hines have been selected for Worcestershire 2nd’s four-day game against Lancashire 2nd at Kidderminster and drop out of the squad.

Both will be missed after making substantial contributions against Wales, especially in the second match when Walker hit six sixes in his 71 and Hines took 4-13, the best figures ever by a Herefordshire bowler in the T20 competition.

They will be replaced by former Worcestershire all-rounder Taylor Cornall and Ombersley left-armer seamer Josh Holling, for both of whom it will be a competitive Herefordshire debut, although Holling did play in a warm-up game against Buckinghamshire at Tring.

Harry Sockett, formerly of Burghill, Tillington & Weobley and now of Birmingham League side Kidderminster, has been named as 12th man for Monday’s double-header.

Herefordshire v Shropshire: Matt Pardoe (capt), Jujhar Johal, Daniyal Khan, Ollie Walker, Nick Hammond, Ben Chapman-Lilley, Luke Powell, Roshan Venkataraman, Luke Tulacz, James Rudge, Adam Hines.

Herefordshire v Oxfordshire: Matt Pardoe (capt), Jujhar Johal, Daniyal Khan, Taylor Cornall, Nick Hammond, Ben Chapman-Lilley, Luke Powell, Roshan Venkataraman, Luke Tulacz, James Rudge, Josh Holling. Twelfth man: Harry Sockett.

CAPTION: Hard-hitting Ollie Walker will be hoping to star again against Shropshire before departing to play for Worcestershire 2nd against Lancashire 2nd