Minor Counties: Coaches delight at power of youth (19 Jun 1998)

19 June 1998

Minor Counties: Coaches delight at power of youth

By Mike Berry

THE increasing influence of youth has been evident in recent results and Minor Counties Cricket Association coaches John Shepperd and Phil Oliver have been gratified by a series of striking performances from up-and-coming hopefuls.

Tom Fray, an 18-year-old Berkshire batsman, played his part in a first victory of the season for the Minor Counties Under-25s in the AON Trophy. Fray's unbeaten 54 came off a Warwickshire attack that included Tim Munton and Gladstone Small.

In the championship Chris Ellison (Cornwall), Bobby Sher (Bedfordshire), Lee Crozier (Northumberland) and Roger Sillence (Wiltshire) all produced eye-catching contributions.

Ellison, an 18-year-old slow left-armer who spent the winter in Australia, crowned his championship debut with match figures of 14 for 154 in the draw with Cheshire at Werrington. It embraced a second-innings return of nine for 80 that also featured a hat-trick.

Sher, Crozier and Sillence, all in their early 20s, helped their respective sides to grade "wins". Sher's five for 38 against Cumberland contained a devastating spell of four for four in nine balls while Crozier, an off-spinner, picked up five for eight in 7.3 overs as Cambridgeshire collapsed from 44 for two to 64 all out at Wisbech. Sillence made 126 of Wiltshire's 400 at Corsham, against Berkshire, who were then dismissed for 361.

Devon, Oxfordshire and the Kent Board XI are through to the quarter-finals of the MCC Trophy.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)