Batting performance costs Cannock

Sep 4 2008

Cannock hosted promotion favourites Shrewsbury at The Morris Ground on Saturday and once again paid for a desperately poor batting performance.

Winning the toss, Shrewsbury skipper Ed Foster batted and were immediately under pressure with Nigel Francis removing both openers Rees and E Foster with the score on 7.

O'Connell and R Foster (who was lucky to survive a massive LBW shout 1st ball from Womble) built the score steadily and put on a half century partner-ship.

O'Connell was undone by some accurate bowling by Heighway, when he inside-edged onto his stumps for 26.

R Foster then miscued a pull-shot off Robinson to give Fleet a well judged catch at wide mid-on. Heighway grabbed his second wicket, bowling Shantry who attempted a booming drive.

Cannock had the league leaders rattled and at 67/5 the game was in the balance.

Experienced J Anders, who survived a dropped catch when on 4, played the type of innings that the Cannock batters have failed to deliver all season and together with Brydon and Gale, Shrewsbury were able to build their total to a repectable score.

Talbot bowling at the death was able to contain the batters and grabbed the wickets of Brydon (17), Anders (50), Gale (37) and Manders (1) and with Robinson taking his second wicket, Shrewsbury finished all out for 177 in the final over.

Bowling figures: Francis 2/15; Heighway 2/17; Robinson 2/33; Talbot 4/39

Cannock didn't turn up with the bat and silver spooned Shrewsbury the points, being dismissed in 29 overs for a paltry 45.

Two players making double figures and a side completely down on confidence with the bat does not show the ability that the side actually has.

Cannock has one final chance to avoid relegation this season with a game that simply must be won to have any chance to stay up in Division 1. They host Coventry NW at The Morris Ground on Saturday.