A VICTORY in their final group-stage game on Sunday will at least keep alive Cheshire’s hopes of making progress in the British Senior County Championship.

They take on Shropshire, beaten in both of their Section Two fixtures to date, with the home leg at Hazel Pear in Acton Bridge.

Champions North Midlands, who edged out Cheshire by a single chalk when the teams met in May, are favourites to qualify for the knockout stage as the only side to have collected maximum points to date.

However they must see off Merseyside this weekend to make sure.

Selectors for Cheshire have drawn on a core of bowlers from Castle and Wharton Cons, the top two teams in the Mid-Cheshire Bowling Association.

There is a place too for Comberbach’s Matt Thurlwell, who is recalled after missing last month’s win against Merseyside.

Steve Curbishley, from Castle, replaces Pete Illidge (Wharton Cons) in the only other change.

Cheshire recovered from that narrow opening-day defeat to beat Merseyside by 13 chalks on aggregate last time out, a victory to which mid Cheshire bowlers contributed with a fine collective display in the away leg.

Play starts on Sunday at 2pm.

The away leg is at Elephant & Castle in Shawbury.

Draw

British Senior County Championship

Section Two

Sunday, July 1

At Hazel Pear, Acton Bridge

Cheshire v Shropshire

Tom Vickers (WhC) v Michael Beer

Andy Hamman (Castle) v Kiah Roberts

Jason Cornes (Castle) v Peter Grimston

Glynn Cookson (WhC) v Chris Worthington

Daniel Nixon (WhC) v Glyn Herbert

Dave O’Brien v Paul Williams

Mike Yearsley (Castle) v Wayne Rogers

Steve Curbishley (Castle) v Martin Lloyd

Matt Thurlwell (Com) v Spencer Clarke

Paul Dooley (Castle) v Rich Goddard

Rob Winnington (Castle) v Adrian Rowe

Steve Morrey (Castle) v Tom Roden

Reserves (from) Jack Bushell (Good Companions); Joe Illidge (Rud); Pete Illidge (WhC); Tom Palin (Rud)