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Shropshire make a number of changes for Sunday’s NCCA Trophy trip to Cumbria

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There’s a number of changes to the Shropshire squad selected for Sunday’s final NCCA Trophy group match of the season against Cumbria at Netherfield CC (11am).

Five players are called up to Shropshire’s Trophy squad for the first time this season as the county head north to face a Cumbria side top of group one after winning all three of their One Day Trophy games.

Wem’s top order batsman Harry Chandler, all-rounders Dan Lloyd of Wellington and Sentinel’s James Shaw, and two seamers, Wolverhampton’s Atif Sheikh and Bridgnorth’s Charlie Walker, are included in the county’s 12-man squad.

Director of Cricket John Abrahams said: “We are fortunate in having identified a number of players to be part of the squad at our practice and training sessions that it’s proved a positive now in the situation we find ourselves in that people are ready to come in.

“Harry Chandler, James Shaw, Dan Lloyd and Charlie Walker have all been involved with the county set up and are aware of how things are run and what is required at this level.

“Atif Sheikh is also added to the squad. Atif plays alongside Charlie Home at Wolverhampton and has played for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

“Sunday is an opportunity for the team selected to show what it’s capable of. It’s also an opportunity for players who haven’t been in the XI to make their case to be involved with the three-day competition coming up.”

From the Shropshire side which faced Staffordshire last weekend, the county are without all-rounder Sam Ellis after he received an invitation to play for Kent’s 2nd XI in a four-day game which starts on Monday.

Promising Worcestershire seamer Ben Parker, having made his Shropshire first-team debut last weekend, is required by the New Road club for a four-day 2nd XI match from Monday, while Shrewsbury duo Will Parton and Tyler Ibbotson are self-isolating following a positive Covid test for a first team player at their club.

Abrahams added: “Sam Ellis has been asked to play for Kent’s second team next week and we will obviously miss him as he has been one of our more consistent performers.

“It’s a good opportunity for him to look to impress a first-class county and we wish him all the very best.

“We are also without a number of other players with the likes of Ross Aucott, Ben Roberts, Graham Wagg, Sam Whitney, Jack Twigger and the Shrewsbury players unavailable for varying reasons.”

Charlie Home will captain Shropshire on Sunday: “We gave chances to one or two people to lead the team in our practice games last season and Charlie was one of them,” said Abrahams.

“He did a good job and with the 12 we have selected for Sunday, he’s one of the more experienced players.

“Having had an opportunity to captain before, it will hopefully stand him in good stead.”

Abrahams added he expects a tough game against a Cumbria side already guaranteed a place in the NCCA Trophy quarter finals after winning all three of their matches in the competition this season.

“Looking at Cumbria’s performances and results, they seem to have a game plan that works for them and accommodates the ability they have within the squad,” he said. “They must have done well to beat the teams they have.”

Shropshire, from: Ryan Lockley (Oswestry), Harry Chandler (Wem), Xavier Clarke (Shifnal), Dan Lloyd (Wellington), Charlie Home (Wolverhampton, captain), Ben Lees (Bridgnorth), Simon Gregory (Bridgnorth), David Laird (Oswestry), Matty Simmonds (Bridgnorth), James Shaw (Sentinel), Atif Sheikh (Wolverhampton), Charlie Walker (Bridgnorth).