Heavy defeat leaves Staffordshire on brink of Knockout Trophy exit

STAFFORDSHIRE are facing elimination from the NCCA Knockout Trophy after a comprehensive defeat by Shropshire at Shifnal.

- Chris Travers

Staffs were easily beaten by six wickets in the Group Two encounter yesterday - and now head to Norfolk for their final match needing a remarkable sequence of events to occur if they are to progress.

Staffordshire will need to beat Norfolk emphatically while hoping that Shropshire do the same to Suffolk over the East Anglian border.

Even then, it would take a huge run-rate swing for Staffs to clinch the second qualification place in the group.

Suffolk's defeat by Herefordshire left Staffordshire with a glimmer of hope, but it's the longest of long shots for them to avoid exiting the 50-over competition at the group stage for the third successive season.

It was a largely forgettable day from a Staffs perspective in the Shifnal sunshine as Shropshire eased to their target with more than eight overs to spare.

Staffordshire had been indebted to some lusty late blows from Liam Hurt (48) for helping them to reach 213-9 from their 50 overs on a hybrid pitch which offered plenty of assistance for the spinners in particular.

Michael Hill (48) and Matthew Morris (35) were the only other Staffordshire batsmen to make any real headway against Shropshire’s spin-heavy attack.

And while the visitors' batsmen didn’t look totally comfortable on the pitch, Shropshire showed them how it was done.

Tom Fell and Jacques Banton helped themselves to half-centuries as they put on 142 for the third wicket.

The margin of defeat flattered Staffordshire in truth as Fell and Banton both departed with their jobs done and the winning line in sight.

Staffordshire could point to a few 'nearly' moments when edges or mis-timed shots just fell short of fielders.