Skipper Ed Foster will be missing from the Shrewsbury team to tackle what he describes as a “massive” clash against county rivals Wellington at Orleton Park on Saturday.
While his side visit their Shropshire neighbours in a long anticipated Birmingham Midshires League first division derby, Foster will be away on duty with Leicestershire. “It’s a match I wanted to play in but circumstances do not allow it,” he said. “It’s truly a massive game for us and, of course, Wellington. Both teams would like nothing better than to win this Shropshire derby.”
It will be the first league meeting since the sides met in the premier division two years ago. But it is now former champions Wellington who are languishing in the lower reaches, looking up at their county neighbours.
The bookies would probably make Shrewsbury favourites but Foster scoffs at any such suggestion as his side gear up for the short trip down the A5.
“It’s true that we put in a good performance against Sutton Coldfield on Saturday while they were losing heavily to Stratford but in this sort of fixture, the formbook goes out of the window,” he insisted.
“Fortunately, we have the sort of players who enjoy turning it on so I’m sure we will be able to rise to the occasion.”
Michael Barnard will miss the Wellington duel because he is needed by Shrewsbury School.
But his absence gives his 15-year-old brother Steve the chance to deputise while Rob Foster and James Gale return as Shrewsbury select from a squad of 12.
Hopes of bringing in Warwickshire paceman Tom Allin as a contract player have failed to materialise.
Shrewsbury, who have yet to decide who will captain the side in the absence of Ed Foster, go into the clash on the back of some solid form.
They cemented a mid-table position with a winning draw against Sutton Coldfield last Saturday in which they held the upper hand throughout.
Shrewsbury (from): R Foster, R O’Connell, D Rees, E Green, J Gale, J Shantry, W Merrick, T Somerville, M Lascelles, D Manders, J Brydon, S Barnard.
l Whitchurch will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s reverse at Oswestry when they host Bablake Old Boys in division three.
Steve Williams returns in place of off-spinner Rod Jones who is unavailable.
Whitchurch: D Ashley (captain), M Hasnain, S Bowen, I Yousaf, E Watson-Jones, S Gregory, S Dimelow, Q Khan, M Williams, S Williams, C Brothwood.
