Unrelenting Heat in Wales

On the back of wins against Herefordshire and Derbyshire the Shropshire Under 12s headed north on Sunday to play against North East Wales at Connah’s Quay. Clear blue skies and only the slightest of breezes saw the teams’ supporters retreating to watch from any shadow that could be found. In such punishing conditions North East Wales’s bowlers stuck at their task commendably: With the very last ball of the allotted 40 overs they prized out their opponent’s No. 10.

Shropshire’s 279 for 10 featured no less than seven double figure scores with solid contributions from Jack Home 30, Ben Thompson 38 and captain Jonathan Bland 45. Henry Walker posted a graceful and personal best 67 whilst late in the piece Josh McDonald entertained the by now sweltering bystanders with a near-blistering 24 off 14.

The man in the ice cream van did brisk trade at tea – the Shropshire lads took to the field in almost holiday-time good spirits. Oliver Parton opened with a spring in his step. Applying pressure with the tightness of his line, Parton opened the door for Sam Davis to work his magic. After ten impressive overs the places and indeed roles of these two were taken on by Wilf Peers and Eddie Prideaux. Peers the container, like Parton, took a single wicket whilst spinner Prideaux matched speedster Davis’s haul of three. A tight and impressive display from all four bowlers supported by unflaggingly keen fielding, not least by Freddie Timmis behind the stumps. North East Wales’s last batsman perished in the 19th over of the innings. His team had made 55.

Few of these boys will have ever before played in such an unrelenting swelter. That the conditions only served to heat up their performance only bodes well for the team’s forthcoming tour of South Africa.