Shropshire’s Academy side will face their Staffordshire counterparts in a 50-over match at Wrekin College on Friday (11am).
It will be Shropshire’s second game of the season following the traditional curtain raiser against Shrewsbury School’s 1st XI last month, a Twenty20 clash which was ultimately reduced by the weather to 15 overs per side.
Bridgnorth’s Sam Baugh captains Friday’s team, which includes a number of players to have represented Shropshire’s senior team this season.
Sam Ellis and Ben Lees both featured in the group stages of the Twenty20 competition while Matty Simmonds and Ben Parker lined up for Shropshire in a T20 match against the RAF last month.
Shropshire Academy have also arranged matches against Academy sides from Northamptonshire, Lancashire and Cheshire later in the season. They will also take part in a Twenty20 tournament at Worcestershire’s Blackfinch New Road ground in August.
Ian Roe, Shropshire’s Academy coach, said: “Friday’s fixture will give other players an opportunity to shine following a good start to their summer.
“We will again be rewarding the lads who worked so hard during the winter with the Emerging Player Programme. A number of them have been involved in and around the first team squad during this summer’s white ball campaign.
“There is plenty of cricket to be played and we encourage healthy competition for places as we fine tune the squad in preparation for our day at Blackfinch New Road in August.”
Shropshire Academy: Sam Baugh (Bridgnorth, captain), Harry Chandler (Wem), Sam Davies (Oswestry), Sam Ellis (Shrewsbury), Ross Hurdley (Bridgnorth), Ben Lees (Bridgnorth), Ben Parker (Worfield), Matt Rees (Worfield), Matty Simmonds (Wellington), Joe Smallman (Bridgnorth), Luke Thornton (Allscott), Josh White (Shifnal).
Pictured: Wrekin College will be the venue for Friday’s 50-over match between Shropshire Academy and Staffordshire.