Ed Barnard

Shrewsbury’s Ed Barnard selected for England under 19 tour

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By Stuart Dunn, @studunn21, at The Shrewsbury Chronicle

ED BARNARD, the rising Shrewsbury cricket star, has flown out to the United Arab Emirates on England under-19 duty ahead of Sunday’s opening tour match.

Barnard, who turned 18 last month, will spend the next three weeks in the UAE, representing England in a Tri-Series against the Pakistan and UAE under-19 teams, before returning home to Shrewsbury just in time for Christmas on December 23.

It will act as preparation for the under-19s World Cup to be held in the UAE in February.

Barnard, a key member of Birmingham League champions Shrewsbury’s squad, has been part of the England Development Programme for the last three years and recently signed a new two-year contract with Worcestershire CCC.

He toured South Africa with England under-19s last winter, memorably cracking a century on his Youth Test debut in Cape Town. He then took the final catch of the match to secure England’s victory to crown a stunning man of the match performance.

Barnard missed 12 weeks of the domestic season owing to injury but returned to fitness in time to captain England’s under-17 side in two one-day internationals against Sri Lanka in August.

Barnard, a Shrewsbury School student, will divide his time in the UAE between a busy programme of training and matches with studying for his A levels in Geography, Business Studies and PE.

Barnard, whose older brothers Mike and Steve are both Shrewsbury CC regulars, is part of a 17-man England squad and will hope to be in the England team for their opening tour game against the UAE on Sunday.

His dad Andy, a past captain and chairman of Shrewsbury CC, is the master in charge of cricket at Shrewsbury School.

Steve Leach

MCCC awards for Shrewsbury trio

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By Stuart Dunn, @studunn21, at The Shrewsbury Chronicle

A TRIO of Shrewsbury players have received top Midlands Club Cricket Conference awards, with opening batsman Ed Foster insisting the recognition is well deserved.

Shrewsbury swept aside strong competition to be crowned Birmingham League champions with three games to spare in a campaign which also them reach the quarter finals of the ECB National Club Championship.

Now skipper Rob Foster, who could not have wished for a much more successful start at the helm, and promising young opening batsman Steve Leach have both won MCCC Cricketer of the Year awards.

There’s also silverware on the way for consistent wicketkeeper Anthony Parker who has scooped the Esmond Lewis Wicketkeeper of the Year award.

The awards will be presented at a dinner in Birmingham in March.

“It’s great recognition for the players involved but also for the club,” said Ed Foster, whose total of 874 runs made him the top run scorer in the Birmingham League premier division last season.

Five players from across the region are selected for Cricketer of the Year awards each year, with Rob Foster and Leach both getting the nod this time.

“Aside from the captaincy which he took to very well, Rob had a great season with the bat,” said Foster, of his younger brother. “He played some explosive and very effective innings at times but he also batted very responsibly when he needed to.

“The time Steve Leach spent in Australia last winter really helped his development and last season was his first big one in adult cricket.
“He came third in the list of run scorers in the premier division with more than 800 runs, a fantastic achivement for someone so young.

“We’re fortunate to have him at the club and, while it’s disappointing he’s not involved with the professional game at the moment having left Worcestershire, I’m sure another opportunity will come his way at some stage.”

Parker, the long-serving glovesman for Shropshire, played a key role behind the stumps for Shrewsbury in his first season with the club after making the switch from Shifnal.

Foster added: “It’s great for the bowlers to know there’s someone who will take the chances they provide. You won’t find a better wicket-keeper batsman in the league than Anthony.

“Anthony was excited to come and play for Shrewsbury as he’s a fierce competitor who wanted to come and play for a side challenging for trophies.”

Shrewsbury are no strangers to picking up MCCC winners and Elliot Green, their talented leg spinner, was named overall Cricketer of the Year, the top prize available, for 2012.

John Foster, Ed Foster and Steve Gale, all former Shrewsbury captains, have also won the prestigious award in the past.

Graham Williamson Trophy 2014 Winners

Graham Williamson Trophy 2014 draw

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Defending Champions Shrewsbury have been handed a trip to West Bromwich Dartmouth in the opening round of the 2014 Graham Williamson Trophy. Should the four-time consecutive winners be victorious, they will host either Kenilworth of Knowle and Dorridge.

The full draw is as follows:

1st Round – To be played on Saturday 12th April, 2014 (12.30pm start)

Match 1 W.B. Dartmouth v Shrewsbury
Match 2 Kenilworth Wardens v Knowle & Dorridge
Match 3 Berkswell v Barnt Green
Match 4 Walsall v Kidderminster Victoria
Match 5 Himley v Brockhampton
Match 6 Walmley v Dorridge
Match 7 Oswestry v Penkridge
Match 8 Wombourne v Wolverhampton

2nd Round – To be played on Saturday 19th April, 2014 (12.30pm start)

Match 9 Winners 1 v Winners 2
Match 10 Winners 3 v Winners 4
Match 11 Winners 5 v Winners 6
Match 12 Winners 7 v Winners 8

1st Round Plate – To be played on Saturday 19th April, 2014 (12.30pm start)

Match 13 Losers 1 v Losers 2
Match 14 Losers 3 v Losers 4
Match 15 Losers 5 v Losers 6
Match 16 Losers 7 v Losers 8

The Plate Competition will not continue after the 1st Round.

Semi – Finals – To be played on Sunday 4th May, 2014 (12.30pm start)

Match 17 Winners 9 v Winners 10
Match 18 Winners 11 v Winners 12

Final – To be played on Sunday 18th May, 2014 (12.30pm start)
Replay – Sunday 25th May 2014 (12.30pm start)

Winners 17 v Winners 18