TWO young local cricketers have a chance to shine when Herefordshire begin their Minor Counties Championship programme with a three-day game against Wiltshire at Colwall, starting on Sunday.

David Exall and Josh Hornyold, who play their club cricket at Kington and Colwall respectively, have both been named in the county side as Herefordshire bid to recapture the Western Division title they won in 2002.

For Hornyold, who opens the bowling for his club, it will be a first appearance at this level, while Exall made his sole county appearance in the fixture with Wiltshire at Corsham last season.

Batting at number nine, the all-rounder made 18 in his only innings as Herefordshire went on to complete a six-wicket win.

Herefordshire seem set to field the same top five batsmen as in the match at Corsham with Harshad Patel returning to open after work commitments prevented him from lining up against Worcestershire in the C & G Trophy on the re-arranged second day.

Patel, who has made more Herefordshire appearances, 77, and scored more runs, 4,543, than any other player, will have Richard Hall as his partner.

Hall made a good impression against Worcestershire with his unbeaten 54 before the rain came.

The batting line-up has plenty of power but the bowling is much less experienced at county level.

In the absence of Martin McCague, who is absent through work commitments, and Kevin Cooper, who has retired, the opening attack will probably be shared by Simon Roberts and Mark Horrocks.

Roberts, 21, made a particularly good impression against Worcestershire with 3-36 from his eight overs, while Horrocks picked up the prized wicket of Graeme Hick.

Herefordshire are likely to look to left-arm spinner Matthew Rawnsley for plenty of overs and the former Worcestershire player's talent with the bat will add some further solidity to the middle-order.

Herefordshire: Chris Boroughs (captain), Harshad Patel, Richard Hall, Rob Hughes, Ismail Dawood, Matt Rawnsley, Chris Edwards, David Exall, Josh Hornyold, Simon Roberts, Mark Horrocks.