New signings to play in Shropshire's friendly against Worcestershire Academy this weekend
New signings Roman Walker and Joe Johnson are both included in the Shropshire side for Sunday's pre-season friendly against Worcestershire Academy at Worfield Cricket Club at 11 am.
The 50 overs per side contest has been arranged as part of Shropshire's preparations ahead of the start of the new National Counties Cricket Association season the following weekend.
Walker, who used to play his club cricket for Oswestry, will add first-class experience for Shropshire after leaving Leicestershire at the end of last season.
The right-arm seamer, set to bat in Shropshire's middle order, was previously with Glamorgan and represented England under-19s earlier in his career.
Walker hit the headlines in 2022 after taking 5-24 for Leicestershire against India, with his haul of wickets including Virat Kohli.
Opening batter Johnson played National Counties cricket for Bedfordshire last season, impressively scoring 107 and then 252 not out in the same Championship match against Hertfordshire last August
Johnson, son of former Zimbabwe international Neil Johnson, is part of the Loughborough UCCE squad and recently signed for Shifnal.
Shropshire captain Charlie Home, who will miss the opening months of his fourth campaign in the role owing to a pre-season injury, said: "Joe and Roman are two very good signings and we are delighted they have both joined us.
"Roman has good links with Shropshire from his days playing for Oswestry before signing for Glamorgan. He then joined Leicestershire and he's a player who has taken wickets and scored runs in professional cricket, so he's a genuine allrounder.
"Joe has signed for Shifnal to play in the Birmingham League this season and we are pleased that he's also going to play for Shropshire.
"He's an opening batter who bowls leg spin. He impressed for Bedfordshire last season, scoring a hundred and a double hundred in the same game, and he's had a good pre-season for Loughborough University, including scoring a century against Essex in Cape Town.
"Both Joe and Roman have aspirations to play professional cricket, in Roman's case to return to it, so hopefully Shropshire can act as a springboard to help them achieve that."
In the absence of the injured Home, Shrewsbury skipper Lewis Evans, having recently returned from spending the English winter playing club cricket in Melbourne, will captain Shropshire this weekend.
Shropshire have named 12 players for Sunday's match, with promising Wellington seamer Ollie Smith bowling but not batting.
Shropshire's National Counties season starts with a home game against Cumbria at Bridgnorth in the NCCA Trophy the following Sunday, April 26.
Shropshire Squad
Joe Johnson (Shifnal), Harry Chandler (Wem), Ollie Parton (Shifnal), Rahul Kaushal (Shifnal), Seb Scott (Shrewsbury), Roman Walker (Leicester Ivanhoe), Cameron Jones (Himley), Ben Lees (Shifnal), Joe Stanley (Wolverhampton), Lewis Evans (Shrewsbury, captain), Ben Roberts (Shifnal), Ollie Smith (Wellington).
