I'm not used to writing about defeats!

Five days on from the tidy win against Cheshire and the Shropshire team ventured to the hill-top which serves as Oulton CC’s ground. For all bar Staffordshire’s Daniel Hughes this pitch was to prove a challenging one. Hughes made a commendable 112 off just 106 balls. Scoring exactly half of his side’s runs, his innings was, in the end, to prove the difference between the two sides.

Ben Thompson and William Jenkins were the pick of the Shropshire bowlers. Heading the table for economy, both also took three wickets. The victor ludorum prize goes to Jenko who took the wicket of the excellent Daniel Hughes, was responsible for running out one of the Staffordshire opening pair and, in Shropshire’s innings, was to be the top scorer. The lads missed Home, their talisman. Retired to the boundary’s edge through ill-health, Jack witnessed his teammates underperform with the bat. 111 all out.

That number again – Last week it was mooted that this under 12 side were above silly superstitions: Clearly ‘tis the curse of the cricket correspondent at play. For which - apologies to one and all.

This was a game which the Shropshire under 12s will wish ‘to learn from’, ‘to put behind them’, ‘to forget’. Bring on the Shrewsbury Festival.