WHITCHURCH skipper Alex Huxley is taking “plenty of positives” from the seasonal opener at Frankton as his side look forward to the big derby with Wem at Heath Road this Saturday.

Huxley’s side took 16 points from a winning draw at Frankton, with a fine century by Ijaz Yousaf the highlight of the game.

Yousaf hit 103, Vansh Bajaj 81no and Ed Watson-Jones 56 as Whitchurch racked up a masive 280-5 from their 50 overs.

But the home side held out for a draw, finishing on 203-6 – thanks largely to 66 by Thomas Wilkie.

Dan Bowen took two early wickets in the Frankton innings and finished with 3-35, but the other six bowlers took just three wickets between them.

“I was very pleased with the way things went,” said Huxley. “It was a shame we didn’t come away with a win, but the pitch calmed down the longer the game went on – and it was never going to be easy to bowl them out.

“It was  great knock by Ijaz – he’s played Birmingham League cricket all his life, and I’m sure he’ll make lots of runs for us throughout the season. Vansh and Ed also did very well.

“On the bowling side, perhaps we missed Sam Ellis’s penetration, but Dan picked up three wickets and will be a big player for us.”

*For a full round-up of North Shropshire cricket, see this week's Whitchurch Herald.