Shropshire started their fourth Championship match of the season at Whitchurch knowing that only a win would keep them in the hunt for the Western Division title. They made four changes from the team which drew with Wiltshire; Shifnal players Jono Whitney and Anthony Parker, plus Andy Gray returned, replacing Adam Shimmons and the Rehman brothers, whilst Richard Oliver was a late replacement for Jon Maunders who injured himself the previous day.

Visiting captain Ian hawtin won the toss and decided to bat, a decision he no doubt regretted as Jack Shantry and Ted Bayliss reduced Oxfordshire to 0 for 2. Alex Jewell (17) and the experienced Charlie Knightley (57) started the come back, adding 48 before Jewell became Michael Barnard's first Championship wicket. The visitors would have been pleased to reach lunch at 95 for 3, but immediately after lunch Shantry and Andy Gray caused havoc, taking 5 wickets for 5 runs to leave them at 104 for 8. Shropshire would have hoped to wrap up the tail quickly but Jack Brooks and Francois Vainker both scored 36 as the tail wagged to enable Oxfordshire to reach a disappointing 180 all out. Jack Shantry, with a Championship best of 5 for 77 and Andy Gray (3 for 43) bowled very well and deserved their rewards.

The Shropshire innings also started badly and they soon found themselves 23 for 4 with the Foster brothers, Whitney and Oliver all back in the pavilion. Jamie Ralph, as always, was making batting look easy, and he was assisted by Shantry (15) in a stand of 52. However, 2 more wickets were lost as the hosts found themselves 75 for 6. Andy Gray joined Ralph, and they began to drag Shropshire back in to the game.They added 73 for the seventh wicket before Ralph played a rash shot at James Hewitt's first ball to be caught behind for an impressive 71, which included 15 fours. Gray was last out just before the close for a Championship best 51, leaving Shropshire 182 all out, a lead of just 2. Jack Brooks was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5 for 62.

On the second morning the Oxfordshire openers Chris Sanbach and James Hewitt, who had both scored ducks in the first innings, batted well, resisting all that the Shropshire bowlers threw at them, and surviving several appeals, to reach 119 at lunch. Both were out immediately after lunch, Sanbach for a Championship best 61 and Hewitt 53. The middle order continued to survive numerous appeals as they built on the lead. Knightley scored his second half century of the match with a painstaking 64, whilst Richard Kaufman hit an enterprising 48. Shropshire did not help themselves, dropping 4 catches and missing a stumping as they toiled under a hot sun all day. The visitors closed on 325 for 8, a lead of 323.

Oxfordshire continued thir innings on the final morning, but they did not last long, being all out for 333 in the fourth over. Jack Shantry was again in impressive form, bowling a marathon 36.3 overs to take 5 for 88, and return match figures of 10 for 165. Andy Gray bowled 42 overs of testing spin with very little luck, taking 2 for 93. Left to get 324 in a minimum of 95 overs, Shropshire had the time to win. They lost Whitney to a poor shot on 36, but Ed Foster (47) batted well, ably supported by brother Rob, before he chopped on to Luke Ryan. Richard Oliver helped Rob Foster to reach lunch on 105 for 2, a sound platform from which to go for the win. However, once again the lunch break proved to be a problem, as both were out immediately afterwards, Rob Foster, making 32. James Ralph again made batting look easy, striking 6 fours in his 24 before surprisingly being bowled by Richard Kaufman. Thereafter Kaufman caused problems, as wickets fell at regular intervals, with only Jack Shantry (46*) putting up any resistance, and even he was dropped off succesive deliveries! The Shropshire innings subsided to a very poor 214 all ot just before tea, with Kaufman taking his Championship best figures of 6 for 39.

This was a very disappointing batting display by Shropshire, and hopes of winning the title now seem to be gone. Hopefully they will redeem themseles in their final two matches, away at Wales and Devon.

A special mention should be made for the Whitchurch club, who once again hosted the match very well. The ground, which had been levelled during the winter, looked a picture.

Umpires              J Wilkinson and A Bullock

Scorers               CLW Barthorpe, C Green and R Clarke