Gifted young paceman Michael Barnard is running out of time to shrug off his injury frustration and put himself back in Shropshire’s selection plans for the big MCCA Trophy final against Lincolnshire at Durham’s Riverside ground on August 11.
Shrewsbury ace Barnard has now been out of action for more than a month, troubled by an injury in the groin and hip region which medics have so far been unable to get to the bottom of.
Ed Foster, the Shrewsbury and Shropshire skipper, said Barnard’s continued absence was a major blow both to club and county, but particularly the player himself with the seamer once again ruled out of Saturday’s Birmingham League premier division clash against Kenilworth Wardens at London Road.
“If we could get Mike back fit and playing, it would add a lot of strength to our bowling department,” said Foster. “He’s missed four or five games now and it’s not ideal for us, but more importantly it’s disappointing for him because he’s desperate to play and he had such a good start to the season at Oxford University.
“The injury’s in the groin and hip region. He says it’s getting slightly better so we’ll watch that space on this one.
“The Shropshire final was the goal he had set himself but he doesn’t think he will be able to prove his fitness by then, but we won’t rule him out yet. It would be a shame if he has to miss it as he did well in some of the earlier rounds.”
Shrewsbury were edged out in a tight finish at leaders Knowle & Dorridge last weekend but Foster’s men remain handily placed in second spot in the top flight table ahead of the visit of a Kenilworth side languishing in ninth. “We owe them one as we put in a poor performance in losing there earlier this season,” he said. “A top three place would be fantastic for us as we came sixth last year.”
Shrewsbury, who will host Himley in the Graham Williamson Trophy final on a date to be arranged, booked their place in the Birmingham League’s Twenty20 Challenge Cup finals day at Cannock on August 15 with a comfortable 45-run victory over Brewood in Monday night’s delayed quarter-final.
Rob Foster hit 81 off 54 balls and Ryan Bishop an unbeaten 77 in an opening stand of 153 as Shrewsbury rattled up 186-2 from their 20 overs.
Brewood were then pegged back to 141-9, Ed Foster taking 3-19 while there were two wickets apiece for Rob Foster, Elliot Green and Dan Manders.
Shrewsbury will now meet Himley in the semis with the other last four clash on finals day between Berkswell and Walmley.
The club, meanwhile, have put back their Salop Leisure Twenty20 KO tournament involving county rivals Wellington, Shifnal and St Georges a fortnight to Sunday, September 5.
SHREWSBURY (v Kenilworth): E. Foster, R. Bishop, W. Parton, J. Leach, R. Foster, T. Cox, D. Manders, J. Anders, P. Donaldson, A. Blofield, E. Green.
by Stuart Dunn