Herefordshire earn draw in tight finish against Shropshire (From Hereford Times)

Herefordshire earn draw in tight finish against Shropshire

10:43am Thursday 30th June 2011 in Cricket

HEREFORDSHIRE were left just three wickets short of a memorable victory in their Minor Counties Championship clash with Shropshire at Bridgnorth.

But their hosts were even closer to a win, just six runs short of success as they chased down a mammoth target of 370 for victory in the highscoring encounter.

The tone of the game was set as early as the first morning when Ben Stebbings (87) and Dave Exall (80) compiled an opening stand of 166 after Herefordshire won the toss and chose to bat.

After they were parted, however, only skipper Chris Boroughs (68) was able to make a substantial score as the county side subsided from 266-4 to 319 all out.

Former Herefordshire batsman James Ralph (97) led the way in the Shropshire reply as, with good support from Jono Whitney (74) and Robert Foster (83), the home side reached 340-4.

A similar collapse, however, left the Salopians with a first-innings lead of 78 with all of the Herefordshire bowlers chipping in.

Stebbings was once again in excellent form when the visitors began their second innings with his 89 the central feature of another good opening stand, this time of 91, with Exall (32), who batted well for a second time on his home ground.

The best batting of the match, however, was soon to follow as former Gloucestershire star Steve Adshead compiled one of the highest scores ever recorded for Herefordshire.

The wicketkeeper-batsman raced to 152, including five sixes and 12 fours as, in a third-wicket stand of 170 with Boroughs (86), the pair set up a potential winning position.

Bradley Wadlan (35) added useful late runs as Herefordshire reached 446-7 declared, setting an imposing target.

Shropshire, however, were undaunted by the size of their goal and 50 runs were on the board with just six overs bowled.

Skipper Ed Foster (100) and Robert Foster (83 not out) continued to pile on the runs but Wadlan (2- 74) and Callum Stewart (2-84) picked up a couple of wickets apiece as, with good support from the rest of the Herefordshire attack, they reined in the home side – just.