Australian ace Wes Robinson arrives in Shrewsbury later today in time to make his debut as the club’s new overseas professional in Saturday’s opening Birmingham League premier division game of the season at Barnt Green.
Much is expected of Robinson who comes to London Road fresh from an excellent breakthrough season in first class cricket Down Under with Western Australia.
He averaged just under 38 in the Sheffield Shield, hitting one century and three fifties, with Shrewsbury skipper Ed Foster delighted the 28-year-old’s visa came through ahead of the start of such an eagerly awaited season for the county town club.
“Wes is our highest profile signing,” said Foster. “It’s a relief he’ll be here for Saturday, he’s looking forward to it and all the lads are looking forward to playing alongside him.
“I hope he’ll improve the professionalism around the club which is already good and we want him to perform on the pitch. He’s a nice lad who will fit in well, and he’ll also be coaching our youngsters during the week.”
Robinson is one of four debutants for the trip to a Barnt Green side captained by former Warwickshire star Dougie Brown.
There are also places for ex-Reman batsman Steve Wilderspin, Will Parton, a new recruit from Wellington, and former Whitchurch bowler George Gibbons, who hopes to have recovered from a knee injury.
“They’ve all done well in the pre-season games we’ve had,” said Foster. “George has bowled very nicely and Steve’s come in from Reman and might not have believed he could play at this level. But he’s looked good and he’s got a lot of technical ability.”
He added: “It’s going to be a tough first couple of weeks with Barnt Green and then Walsall, the champions, but we’re up for the challenge.”
Shrewsbury have been relegated in each of their two previous seasons in the Birmingham League’s top flight, with Foster admitting consolidation is the main aim this term.
As usual, Shrewsbury are hampered by selection problems in the early weeks with a long list of absentees for Saturday.
They include Cardiff University trio Rob Foster, Ryan Bishop and Tom Allin – Bishop and Allin both struck half centuries against Somerset at Taunton last week – while Wayne Merrick, Joe Leach, Alex Blofield and Mike Barnard, who returns from a winter in Australia next week, are also ruled out. On top of that Shrewsbury are also bidding a fond farewell to experienced batsman Mark Lascelles who leaves the area this weekend to take up a new job in Canterbury.
Shrewsbury got their hands on some silverware last Sunday when they comfortably beat Newport by 120 runs in the Chronicle KO final held over from the end of last season, new signing Leach claiming the man of the match honours.
Shrewsbury totalled 163-7 and 156-5 from their two 20-over innings, managing to restrict Newport to 107-6 and 92 all out.
Despite a half century from Parton, Shrewsbury were beaten by six wickets at home by Leamington in the Graham Williamson Plate a day earlier, their total of 180-7 not enough.
It’s also the start of a new season for Shrewsbury’s second XI on Saturday as they host Water Orton II in the Birmingham League reserve division one.
Meanwhile a team of Dutch cricketers from twin town Zutphen are spending the weekend with the county town club, with the highlight a match against a Shrewsbury CC XI at Shrewsbury School on Sunday.
And Ed Foster lines up for Shropshire at London Road in the county’s opening match of the season on Sunday, a Minor Counties Trophy clash against Bedfordshire.
SHREWSBURY (v Barnt Green): E. Foster, W. Robinson, J. Gale, W. Parton, D. Manders, W. Davies, S. Barnard, S. Wilderspin, M. Swift, E. Green, G. Gibbons.
