Shropshire begin their NCCA Twenty20 campaign with a double-header against Cheshire at Didsbury Cricket Club on Sunday (11am).
Shropshire captain Charlie Home, unable to play so far this season owing to injury, is looking forward to seeing how the county perform in the format after exiting the NV Play One Day Trophy at the group stage earlier this month.
Shropshire will follow up their two T20 group matches against Cheshire with home fixtures in the competition against Staffordshire at Wem and Northumberland at Wellington either side of a long trip to Cockermouth to face Cumbria.
Home said: “I think last year with our success in progressing in the 50-over competition, the Twenty20 campaign took a bit of a hit in terms of availability of players, but looking at the side selected for Sunday I’m delighted that we look very strong.
“We’ve got very good options bowling and we bat a long way down with some destructive cricketers in there who can almost win a game single handedly if it’s their day.
“We sadly didn’t make it through to the quarter-finals of the 50-over competition, but it’s great to see that everyone’s attention has now turned to the T20 matches.
“We’ve got good availability, so we’ll hopefully go a long way in this competition instead.”
Four players are in line to make their NCCA debuts for Shropshire this weekend with a squad of 12 named for the two matches against Cheshire.
Wellington duo Ollie Smith and Morgan Ward – who hit a half century for Shropshire Academy in last Sunday’s victory over Wales National County (North) – are called up for the first time, along with Leek spinner Anis Raza and Shifnal seamer Imran Tariq.
Very keen to get involved
Home said: “Anis Raza played a number of games for Staffordshire. He bowls qualify left-arm spin and I know him through age group cricket.
“I had a chat with him during the winter and he’s very keen to get involved with the T20 matches and further along the line the three-day games.
“I think it will really benefit us having someone able to turn the ball away from the bat.
“Imran Tariq has started the season well for Shifnal with the ball and he also got a few runs last weekend (85 from 56 balls against Kidderminster in the Birmingham League). I watched it and it was amazing, a proper match-winning knock which you don’t usually see batting at 10.
“He impressed at our winter nets, bowling left-arm seam, so he again adds something a little bit different for us. He trains hard and is keen to take his opportunity.
“Ollie Smith and Morgan Ward are young lads who have come through the Shropshire pathway.
“Ollie has been involved with Worcestershire Academy and trained well with the Shropshire squad through the winter. He bowls with pace and it will be good to see him get his chance.
“Morgan Ward has started the season well for both Shrewsbury School and Wellington, so he deserves to be included in the squad. He keeps wicket and bats in the middle order.”
Shropshire, from: Joe Johnson (Shifnal), Theo Wylie (Milford Hall), Tom Fell (Shifnal, captain), Andre Bradford (Hallam), Seb Scott (Shrewsbury), Roman Walker (Leicester Ivanhoe), Joe Stanley (Wolverhampton), Ben Roberts (Shifnal), Imran Tariq (Shifnal), Anis Raza (Leek), Ollie Smith (Wellington), Morgan Ward (Wellington).
Pictured: Shifnal opener Joe Johnson is in the Shropshire side for Sunday’s two opening T20 matches of the season against Cheshire.