HEREFORDSHIRE head to Eastnor on Sunday knowing a win against Shropshire will restore the Division 1 status they lost last season.

16 Aug 2024   |   By Richard Prime

HEREFORDSHIRE head to Eastnor on Sunday knowing that a win against current NCCA Western Division 2 leaders Shropshire will be enough to restore the Division 1 status they lost at the end of last season.

Shropshire currently head the division by nine points and they, in their turn, know that a win, or even a draw, should see them promoted.

In the event of a draw, Wales, who are a further seven points behind Herefordshire, could clinch the promotion place by beating Wiltshire but this would require Shropshire to fall short of gaining maximum batting and/or bowling points.

With the weather looking set fair for, at least, the first two days, a decisive result should be likely.

Herefordshire make two changes from the side which hammered Dorset by 10 wickets in Wimborne last weekend.

Ben Chapman-Lilley, who was called up to play for Sussex 2nd against Gloucestershire 2nd, returns in place of Olly Cox.

And Barnards Green seamer Chris Steele is called up in place of spinner Ciaran Baker-Smith with Chapman-Lilley and last weekend’s centurions, skipper Matt Pardoe and Taylor Cornall, able to provide spin options.

There’s a first Herefordshire call-up for Bartestree & Lugwardine’s Matt Tulacz who will be carrying out 12th man duties and joining his brother Luke in the county squad.

At Wimborne, James Rudge joined Pardoe in a select group of 15 bowlers who have taken 50 championship wickets for Herefordshire.

Among the batsmen whom Rudge will be hoping to test at Eastnor is former Worcestershire star Tom Fell, whose first innings 117 against Wales last weekend played a key part in his side’s victory.

Play at Eastnor on all three days is set to start at 11am.

Herefordshire: Matt Pardoe (capt), Ben Chapman-Lilley, Taylor Cornall, Henry Cullen, Nick Hammond, Ollie Walker, Luke Tulacz, Luke Powell, Roshan Venkataraman, James Rudge, Chris Steele. Twelfth man: Matt Tulacz.

CAPTION: James Rudge took his 50th Herefordshire wicket at Wimborne last weekend.