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Shropshire will be boosted by the return of all-rounder Cameron Jones and his Shifnal team-mate, Ben Roberts, for Sunday’s National Counties Trophy final against Dorset at Chester Boughton Hall (11am).

Jones, who was previously with Worcestershire, impressed in Shropshire’s unbeaten run in their group matches which helped him secure a place on the revamped MCC Young Cricketers scheme and also a trial with Sussex.

His stint on the South Coast was cut short by concussion suffered in the field in the Second XI Championship match against Leicestershire at Horsham last month but he has now passed the return-to-play protocols and will resume his Shropshire career having missed the victories over Northumberland in the quarter-final and Suffolk in the semi-final.

Roberts took three wickets in the final over to help secure an important seven runs victory over reigning champions Norfolk in a group match at Shrewsbury in May but missed the semi-final because of a hamstring injury. He has now been passed fit for Shropshire’s first appearance in final since 2013 when they were beaten by Berkshire at Wormsley.

Ravan Chahal and Will Jenkins, who played in the semi-final, make way for the return of Jones and Roberts on Sunday.

“Ben Roberts has been working up to full fitness again. He had a test earlier this week and came through that, so it’s great to have him back in the side,” said Shropshire’s Head of Cricket Ed Home.

“Cameron Jones has been with Sussex and has played for their Second XI but he had to miss a couple of weeks due to concussion protocols.

“But he’s been back training for the last week or so and he’s fit and raring to go, so we are obviously delighted to have him back involved.”

Dorset have two Hampshire contracted players, Felix Organ and Joe Eckland, available for the final as ne

Both progressed through the ranks with Dorset before joining their first-class neighbours and they have continued to make important contributions to their native county when their Hampshire commitments permit.

Organ made 38 and took two wickets in the quarter-final victory over Buckinghamshire at Wimborne while Eckland made 86 in that match and a match-winning 89 in the semi-final victory over Berkshire.

Hampshire Academy opening batter Finn Gordon is also in a rich vein of form having made 196 runs in three Trophy innings this season with Alex Eckland, older brother of Joe, has 253 runs including a century in the high-scoring defeat by Cheshire.

But the Currie brothers, Scott and Brad, who are also products of Dorset’s pathway programme have other commitments. Scott is in Hampshire’s Vitality Blast squad and Brad, who plays for Sussex, is representing Scotland in the ICC World T20 Europe Finals tournament in the Netherlands.

“Dorset are a side we have faced regularly in three-day Championship matches, so we are fully aware they will provide another stern test,” Home said.

“Chester Boughton Hall is a fantastic place to play. I visited a couple of weeks ago to familiarise myself with the surroundings, and as long as the weather stays fair, it will be a superb venue to stage a game like this.”

Shropshire won the Trophy for the only time in 2010 when they beat Lincolnshire by seven wicket in the final at Chester-le-Street. They were also beaten finalists in 1997, 1998, and 2003.

Tickets for the final are available to purchase in advance, priced £12.50 for adults, with admission rising to £14 on the day. Entry for children is free.

Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/one-day-national-trophy-finals-2025-tickets-1302954093769?aff=oddtdtcreator

National Counties Trophy Final 2025

Sunday July 13 (11am)

Dorset v Shropshire

At Chester Boughton Hall

Previous National Counties Trophy Final appearances

Dorset

1985: Lost to Durham by 100 runs at Fenner’s

1988: Beat Cambridgeshire by two wickets at Weymouth

2006: Lost to Northumberland by eight wickets at Lord’s

Shropshire

1997: Lost to Norfolk by 52 runs at Lord’s

1998: Lost to Devon by eight wickets at Lord’s

2003: Lost to Cambridgeshire by three wickets at Lord’s

2010: Beat Lincolnshire by seven wickets at Chester-le-Street

2013: Lost to Berkshire by 128 runs at Wormsley

Routes to the final

Dorset

April 27: Beat Wales NC by 136 runs at Lisvane

May 5: Beat Hertfordshire by 47 runs at Wimborne

May 11: Beat Wiltshire by nine wickets at Wimborne

May 18: Lost to Cheshire by 90 runs at Didsbury

June 1: Beat Buckinghamshire by 47 runs at Wimborne (quarter-final)

June 22: Beat Berkshire by six wickets at Finchampstead (semi-final)

Shropshire

April 27: Beat Herefordshire by six wickets at Eastnor

May 4: Beat Norfolk by seven runs at Shrewsbury

May 11: Beat Staffordshire by six wickets at Shifnal

May 18: Beat Suffolk by 36 runs at Mildenhall

June 1: Beat Northumberland by 23 runs at Shifnal (quarter-final)

June 22: Beat Suffolk by four wickets (DLS) at Shifnal (semi-final)

Previous winners

8 Berkshire (2004, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)

6 Norfolk (1986, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2024).

5 Devon (1992, 1994, 1998, 2008, 2014).

4 Cheshire (1983, 1987, 1996, 2018).

2 Staffordshire (1991, 1993), Cambridgeshire (1995, 2003), Cumbria (1989, 2012), Herefordshire (2000, 2016).

1 Hertfordshire (1984), Durham (1985), Dorset (1988), Buckinghamshire (1990), Bedfordshire (1999), Warwickshire CB (2002), Northumberland (2006), Suffolk (2007), Shropshire (2010), Cornwall (2015).

Performances in a final

Highest total: 326-7 Staffordshire v Wiltshire at Lord’s 1993

Lowest total: 88 Devon V Norfolk at Lord’s 2001

Biggest winning margin (runs): 151 runs Berkshire v Cumbria at Wormsley 2021

Biggest winning margin (wickets): 9 Cumberland v Hertfordshire at Lord’s 1989

Narrowest winning margin (runs): 1 run – Berkshire v Cumberland at Wormsley 2019

Narrowest winning margin (wickets): 2 wickets – Dorset v Cambridgeshire at Weymouth 1987, Cambridgeshire v Herefordshire at Lord’s 1985, Warwickshire CB v Devon at Worcester 2002.

Highest scores:

135 not out Ben Wilcox Norfolk v Cheshire at Wormsley 2024

119 not out Carl Rogers Norfolk v Shropshire at Lord’s 1997

118 Paul Lazenbury Herefordshire v Cheshire at Lord’s 2000

112 Richard Morris Berkshire v Shropshire at Wormsley 2013

108 not out Steven Sharp Cumberland v Hertfordshire at Lord’s 1989

106 Nick Gaywood Devon v Lincolnshire at Lord’s 1994

103 Richard Dalton Bedfordshire v Cheshire at Lord’s 1996

Best bowling:

5-21 Richard Dalton Bedfordshire v Cumberland at Lord’s 1999

5-29 Kevin Cooper Herefordshire v Cheshire at Lord’s 2000

5-34 Michael Eccles Norfolk v Staffordshire at Lord’s 2009

5-42 Steve Goldsmith Norfolk v Shropshire at Lord’s 1997

Hat-trick: Chris Thompson Cumberland v Wiltshire at Wormsley 2012