DESPITE a powerful batting performance, Herefordshire cricketers were unable to force a victory in their Minor Counties Championship match with Shropshire at Bridgnorth.

The Herefordshire match aggregate of 747 was a new county record but they were left with insufficient time to bowl the home side out a second time and the match fizzled out into a draw.

Herefordshire's first innings of 403 was dominated by a maiden century from Gulsharez Ahmed who hit 20 fours and two sixes in his 131.

Skipper Chris Boroughs lent useful support with 70 while all-rounder Peter Trego weighed in with a quickfire 44 which included three sixes and four fours.

Trego picked up a quick wicket in the Shropshire reply but half-centuries from Christopher Martin (71), Rawait Khan (51) and Duncan Catterall (68) saw the score mount steadily.

Nevertheless, with Trego (4-110) and Richard Parker (2-84) picking up wickets steadily, Herefordshire seemed set for a solid first innings lead until, with the score at 235-6, Jonathan Whitney arrived at the crease.

The opening bowler then proceeded to flay the Herefordshire attack as he raced to a maiden century from just 74 balls with five sixes and 12 fours.

When Herefordshire batted a second time, the first part of the innings was dominated by the Harshad Patel who compiled 91 from 137 balls. His dismissal, however, left him tantalisingly on 999 runs in championship matches against Shropshire.

Wicket-keeper Duncan Willetts (48) and Dave Exall (47) both chipped in with useful scores and nine Herefordshire batsmen reached double figures as the county side totalled 344 before being dismissed.

Shropshire, however, declined the stiff challenge of trying to score 364 to win in a minimum of 40 overs and their bid ended on 148-3.

This time around, Whitney, who could have propelled the total forward in rapid time, was caught by Nick Davies off Ed Rollings for a second-ball duck. After his departure, former Yorkshire all-rounder Gary Fellows (65 not out) and Catterall (27 not out), who is well-known to local sides as Ombersley's professional, batted out time.

Scorecard: Sports Times 4