Ludlow look to shake off their Shelton sickener when they embark on a crucial double header this weekend in the Marston’s Shropshire Premier League.
Having revived their faltering fortunes in their previous two outings, the Burway were brought down to earth as lowly Shelton claimed a league “double” when winning by four wickets.
That has heaped the pressure on the south Shropshire side to pick up points as a busy weekend looms with a big home clash at basement side Newtown tomorrow before hosting improving Much Wenlock the following day.
But club officials remain confident the side can bounce back as they look to cement their mid-table berth.
“To lose to Shelton was disappointing, but in our defence we had the worst of the conditions,” said chairman Willie Moore.
“We were put in on a soft wicket after all the rain we had and it flattened out as the game went on. Having said that, had we got another 20 runs it was a game we could have won.”
Although some of our batsmen need to score a few more runs, we feel our bowling attack is as good as any in the league and it won’t take a lot for us to bounce back.”
Opening bat Ryan Lockley and Jack Edwards could return to bolster a side who were stunned last week by Shelton who made the most of winning a crucial toss.
Put in to bat on a drying track, Ludlow were restricted to 149-9 in 50 overs before their visitors got home for the loss of six wickets.
Shelton skipper Neil Salisbury admitted the victory was all the sweeter after Ludlow had complained to the league about the state of his club’s pitch early in the season.
“After Ludlow had said our pitch was not fit to play on, it was good motivation and our lads were really up for it,” he said.
“I was very pleased with the result; we played quite well, and it was very satisfying. We’ve only won three games this season and two of them have been against Ludlow.”
Guy Johnson claimed 3-35 from 11 tidy overs, his victims including potential dangerman Will Sparrow who cracked an unbeaten ton against Reman Services a week earlier for just two.
Jim Cadwallader also bowled tidily for 2-36 as Ludlow fell away after a bright start given to them by Pakistani opener Ali Raza to end on 149-9 from their 50 overs.
After losing a wicket without a run on the board, Raza, promoted to opener, made a useful 39 off 75 balls, including three fours and a six.
However, wickets tumbled and at 73-5 prospects looked precarious but 29 from Jack Griffiths helped steady the ship along with 27 extras.
Shelton, however, then progressed to their target with more than a dozen overs to spare, helped by a first wicket stand of 67 between Ben Mathews (30) and skipper Salisbury (23) before Andy Harrison justified his promotion up the order to No 3 with 28.
Michael Peacock was the most successful of the Ludlow bowlers with 3-22 from seven overs, while Sparrow picked up 2-40.
Ludlow, meanwhile, admit that this week’s heavy rain has hampered plans to prepare two wickets for this weekend’s double header.