Shrewsbury are searching for a new wicketkeeper to replace record breaker Jack Brydon, who did such a good job behind the stumps last season but has now moved to London.
Skipper Ed Foster concedes it’s a blow to lose Brydon’s services but remains hopeful of landing a ready made replacement in the next few weeks.
Foster, an accomplished glovesman as well as a top order batsman, could do the job himself and he said the experienced William Davies and Matt Swift, when he’s free of his Wrekin College commitments, are other viable alternatives.
But he admits he would ideally like to get in a specialist keeper as the countdown continues to Shrewsbury’s much anticipated return to the premier division of the Birmingham League. “Jack Brydon’s a good lad, well liked by everyone at the club, and he’s a local lad who started as a junior,” said Foster.
“It’s not ideal to lose him but we knew it was likely to happen as Jack was keen to move to London.
“He produced some very good performances last year and took a record number of catches for Shrewsbury in the Birmingham League which he was rightly proud of.”
Foster has already identified a couple of possible replacements for Brydon, both locally and further afield, and hopes to put the seal on a signing soon.
“We’ve got a couple of options which are looking promising so hopefully there will be some progress soon,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate that Matt Swift, who had a good season with the seconds, will miss the first half of the season with his Wrekin College commitments as he would have been a serious contender.
“I’m sure he will still provide competition when he is available for us in the second half of the season.
“I can keep wicket and there’s also ‘Spot’ Davies who has been netting a lot and looking really good.
“He’s struggled with injuries in the last couple of seasons but hopefully he’ll be able to play more this year.”
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury’s new overseas professional Wes Robinson maintained his glorious form Down Under with another fine knock for Western Australia in their latest Sheffield Shield match this week.
Robinson, 28, was the only batsman to shine on a seamer’s paradise of a pitch in the Western Warriors’ latest game against Tasmania at Hobert’s Bellerive Oval.
Robinson proved the mainstay of his side’s first innings total of 189 all out by digging in to make a determined 84, comfortably the highest score by any player on either side in the match.
Coming in at No 3, Robinson batted for just over four hours and faced 175 balls during a dogged knock which featured a dozen boundaries.
“I spoke to Wes last Friday and he’s really enjoying his cricket at the moment,” said skipper Foster.
“He kept reiterating that he’s really keen to get over to Shrewsbury and play for us.”
Robinson is due to fly in from Perth on April 21, well in time for Shrewsbury’s premier division opener at Barnt Green which takes place on May 2.