HEREFORDSHIRE opened their Group 4 campaign of the ECB 38 County Cup in style with a 50-run win over Shropshire at Shrewsbury.

Half-centuries from Chris Boroughs and Harshad Patel pushed Herefordshire to a healthy target of 202-6, with an unbeaten 33 from Nathan Round and 24 for Ismail Dawood.

The county overcame the early loss of opener Rob Hughes as skipper Patel (54) and Dawood shared a stand of 65, before Dawood's departure brought Boroughs to the wicket.

The number four plundered 59 in just 61 balls, including eight fours and a six, and a partnership of 72 with Round raced the visitors toward the 200 mark.

Shropshire lost wickets at regular intervals in reply, including the dismissal of ex-Nottinghamshire man Kevin Evans for no score.

At 73-6 the home side were struggling but Tony Parton (19) and Gavin Byram (47) put on 63 for the seventh wicket to take them to 136-7 when Parton fell to Chris Boroughs.

But another wicket for Boroughs and two for Round polished off the tail with the addition of just 16 runs to leave Shropshire well short of their target at 152 all out.

Herefordshire debutantes James Brinkley and John Shaw both turned in solid performances and each claimed two wickets, Brinkley's at the expense of just 10 runs.

l Herefordshire will be forced to make at least two changes for their opening Minor Counties match against Dorset at Colwall, starting Sunday.

James Brinkley is unavailable and Neeraj Prabhu is injured.

Dorset are the Western Division reigning champions.