Staffordshire are facing elimination from the NCCA Knockout Trophy after a comprehensive defeat by Shropshire at Shifnal.
Staffs were easily beaten by six wickets in the Group Two encounter – and now head to Norfolk for their final match needed a remarkable sequence of events to occur if they are to progress.
Staffordshire will need to beat Norfolk emphatically while hoping that Shropshire do the same to Suffolk over the East Anglian border.
Even then, it would take a huge run-rate swing for Staffs to clinch the second qualification place in the group.
Suffolk’s defeat by Herefordshire left Staffordshire with a glimmer of hope, but it’s the longest of long shots for them to avoid exiting the 50-over competition at the group stage for the third successive season.
It was a largely forgettable day from a Staffs perspective in the Shifnal sunshine as Shropshire eased to their target with more than eight overs to spare.
‘Tough going’
Staffordshire had been indebted to some lusty late blows from Liam Hurt (48) for helping them to reach 213-9 from their 50 overs on a hybrid pitch which offered plenty of assistance for the spinners in particular.
Michael Hill (48) and Matthew Morris (35) were the only other Staffordshire batsmen to make any real headway against Shropshire’s spin-heavy attack.
And while the visitors’ batsmen didn’t look totally comfortable on the pitch, Shropshire showed them how it was done.
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Tom Fell and Jacques Banton helped themselves to half-centuries as they put on 142 for the third wicket.
The margin of defeat flattered Staffordshire in truth as Fell and Banton both departed with their jobs done and the winning line in sight.
Staffordshire could point to a few ‘nearly’ moments when edges or mis-timed shots just fell short of fielders.
But if they are honest, their performance fell far below the standards needed to pick up victories in white-ball cricket at NCCA level.
‘Bat first’
It was no surprise that Staffordshire captain James Kettleborough opted to bat after winning the toss.
He would have been looking for his side to build on some positive batting signs in the first two group games which had yielded a victory over Herefordshire and a defeat to Suffolk.
There were early signs, though, that the pitch would offer variable bounce and keep the bowlers firmly interested.
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Staffs opener Tom Moulton survived an lbw shout from a ball which kept low and he was then undone by a delivery from seamer Cameron Jones.
The ball climbed more than Moulton expected and he could only send a pull shot high into the air for George Hargrave to safely pouch at mid-off.
And 27-1 soon became 39-2 when Reeve Evitts was pinned lbw by paceman Ben Roberts.
‘Spin is king’
It was then that Shropshire’s quartet of spinners – Banton, Joe Stanley, Lewis Evans and Charlie Home – then entered the fray and really put the squeeze on Staffordshire.
There was prodigious turn which made life tricky for batsmen and left them wondering when a ball would have their name on it.
Skipper Kettleborough fell when he fired a return catch to Banton, before Morris – who had battled gamely – was lbw to Stanley as Staffordshire were reduced to 69-4.
Hill and Nils Priestley made it through to the drinks break with the visitors having made their way to 97-4.
But just three balls after the resumption, Priestley (15) was making his way back to the pavilion when he pushed at a Stanley delivery and was well snapped up at slip by Fell.
There was some slight indication that Staffs might be able to recover as Hill and wicketkeeper Callum Hawkins set about constructing a 41-run alliance for the sixth wicket.
Hawkins improvised on occasions with some reverse sweeps, but after making 18, his attempt at an orthodox sweep failed and he was lbw to Home.
Hill, within range of a half-century, was the next to go when he lobbed a catch, trying to cut, to Hargrave at point off the bowling off Evans.
Sam Atkinson chipped in with 10 before being bamboozled by an Evans ball to be bowled as Staffs slumped to 167-8.
‘Front-foot approach’
They were in danger of not making 200 at that point, but Hurt went on the attack in the closing stages of the innings, smashing three fours and four sixes. He took 24 runs off the 50th over, but was run out off the final ball.
Staffordshire picked up the early breakthrough they craved when Hurt then struck in his first over with only four runs on the board.
Hargrave looked to flick the ball through the leg side, but could only edge to Kettleborough in the slip cordon.
Fell joined Rahul Kashual and they managed to progress the score to 50 before being parted.
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Kashual had already been troubled by slow left-armer Tom Brett – and his answer was to try to take him on.
But he only managed to send the ball to Priestley at mid-on, who took a comfortable catch.
‘Match-winning stand’
Staffordshire might have sensed an opportunity at that juncture, but the experienced Fell and Banton took the sting out of their attack.
There was the odd close call which didn’t fall Staffs’ way, but they were also guilty of serving up some boundary balls which eased the pressure.
Fell and Banton were happy just to wait for those to come along and the pair had soon broken the back of the target.
They had almost reached three figures by drinks and were well in control afterwards to ease their side ever closer to victory.
Fell, having made 81, which included 13 fours, exited with 22 runs required when he went for a big hit off Brett and was snapped up by Evitts.
And with three runs needed, Banton was dismissed for 78 – which contained seven fours and two sixes – as Hurt caught him at mid-on off Priestley.
The writing was on the wall at that stage and Andrew Bradford and Home eased Shropshire to the points.
Shropshire are already through after making it three wins out of win, but can clinch top spot in the group by winning at Suffolk on Sunday.
For Staffordshire, it’s a long trip to Norfolk and with limited hope of extending their interest in the 50-over competition this summer.
Main image: Liam Hurt made a big-hitting 48 for Staffordshire in the NCCA Knockout Trophy defeat by Shropshire. Picture: David Peters
