SKIPPER Will Sparrow is braced for the “hardest weekend of the season” as Ludlow come face to face with two of the Marston’s Shropshire Premier League title chasers.
In a double header, the Burway men first travel to Wem tomorrow before hosting another of the leading contenders, Much Wenlock, on Sunday.
It’s a daunting prospect, but one Sparrow is savouring as he backs his side to erase last Saturday’s six-wicket drubbing at home to Quatt after being skittled for just 70.
“It was a big toss to lose last week, and we were put in with the ball seaming about everywhere,” he said. “The track got better and better as the day wore on, but to be fair to Quatt they bowled well and you can’t expect to win games after you’re bowled out for 70.
“After three wins in a row, it was disappointing to lose like that. But we’ve now got to put that result behind us as we’ve got our hardest weekend coming up against two of the top sides.
“But we can put out a strong team on both days and I’m fancying us to do well. If we can sneak a win on one of the two days, then we could have a big influence on who wins the title.”
Sparrow returns after missing last weekend’s action, allrounder Richard Moolman is also back but off-spinner Peter Coote misses both days and Ali Raza is out tomorrow.
Put in on a damp wicket, Ludlow made a disastrous start against Quatt as they lost openers David Gadsby and the in-form Sam Edwards for ducks and slumped to 4-2.
They then found themselves 21-4 before some resistance from Matthew Hawes (17), Rob Genner (14) and Stuart Jardine (15).
However Gareth Jones finished with 6-38 and Barry Jones 4-29 as they slumped to 70 all out in 26 overs.
Ludlow did make inroads in Quatt’s reply and Coote claimed 3-34 while there was one victim for Raza.
Meanwhile, Ludlow’s Edwards provided one of the few positives as the league’s interest in the Cedric Rhodes Trophy proved shortlived. The representative team were well beaten by 97 runs by the North Somerset League at Knowle but Edwards impressed in making 61 not out.