Worcestershire ace Jack Shantry is drafted into Shrewsbury’s side for only the second time this season as the county towners aim to replace Wellington at the top of the Birmingham League premier division.
The old rivals clash twice inside 24 hours with Saturday’s crunch league game (noon) preceded by tomorrow night (Friday’s) Birmingham League Twenty20 KO meeting.
Both games are at London Road with the KO tussle starting earlier than usual at 5pm.
“It should be an interesting couple of days,” said Shrewsbury skipper Ed Foster.
“Everybody looks forward to playing Twenty20 with the coloured clothing and then we’ve got the football to watch after it.
“Then we’ve got the big league game the next day and the fact it’s between the teams currently one and two in the table only adds to it.
“It’s always a big game anyway and Wellington’s the fixture we looked out for at the start of the season. It’s now even more important given how well both teams have started.”
Foster added he was delighted to have Shantry, the club’s contracted player, available and he will replace Mike Barnard, who is on Oxford University duty against Loughborough.
Shantry’s only previous Shrewsbury appearance of the season was on the opening day when he took five wickets and also top scored against Walsall.
“I’m sure everyone would be happy with the same again from Jack,” said Foster.
“He’s done really well for Worcestershire this season.”
The Shrewsbury team selected for part one of the double header tomorrow night shows three changes with unavailable trio Shantry, Tom Cox and Ryan Bishop replaced by youngsters Alex Blofield, Steve Barnard and Matt Swift.
SHREWSBURY (Saturday): E. Foster, R. Bishop, W. Parton, R. Foster, J. Leach, T. Cox, J. Shantry, D. Manders, P. Donaldson, J. Anders, E. Green.