53 Shropshire Star Cameron backed for a championship return BRIDGNORTH swimmer Cameron Minifie SWIMMING to reach the English Championships in two has been tipped to return to the ASA English years. Her appearances in Sheffield capped Championships next year after a solid show- the end of a long season but she will return to ing on her debut at the event, writes Matthew training at the start of September to prepare August 14, 2015 Friday, Viney. “She is still very young and she will be aim- for another busy campaign. Minifie, who represents Northgate Swim- ing to go back there again next year.” The season will start with the Midlands ming Club, finished 16th in the country in the Minifie clocked a time of two minutes 39 Winter Championships in November before 15-year-old girls’ 200m butterfly and 13th in seconds in the 200m event and had earlier the British Winter Championships take place the 50m event at Ponds Forge International posted 30.94 seconds in the 50m event, which the following month. Sports Centre in Sheffield. was just a fraction off her personal best time Northgate Swimming Club currently has And club coach Richard Davidson said: “She of 30.68. 250 athletes under its banner ranging from did very well to get to the championships and The 50m swim improved her national rank- young children to masters age groups. it was the first time she had swam at that ing by two places, Minifie having began the They train at Northgate Leisure Centre in level. competition ranked 15th in England in her Bridgnorth as well as at Much Wenlock. “She can only have learnt and go forward age group. For further information http://www.north- Minifie shows off her superb butterfly skills Cameron Minifie from this experience. Minifie was the first Northgate swimmer gateswimming.co.uk/ Matthews is a Inspirational Sam Shropshire star on Malvern trip A STUNNING century from Robyn Matthews was the highlight of Shropshire’s Under-17s productive three-day stint at the Malvern Festival. The county outfit lined up against Yorkshire, Warwick- savouring success shire and an Invitational Under-13 XI and returned home with three wins out of four. The opening fixture saw Shropshire keep their nerve to By Matthew Viney beat Yorkshire in a 20-over clash. [email protected] A disciplined opening CRICKET spell from Courtney Cooper (3-24), aided by some smart SHROPSHIRE wheelchair bas- fielding work, helped re- a positive tone at the start strict a powerful Yorkshire of the innings alongside Ar- ketball international Sam Eard- line up to 127-7. nold enabling Shropshire ley is savouring the biggest In reply, Shropshire to stay ahead of the asking opener Lara Jones im- rate. victory of his eight-year career. pressed with 44 from 36 Arnold batted with matu- Eardley, from Market Drayton, has balls while Milly Home rity to finish on 62 not out, helped Wales Under-23s capture the Celtic struck 39 from 34 balls to her maiden SCB half-cen- Cup for the first time in the competition’s set their side on the way to tury, but it was a brilliant history. victory. innings from Matthews that The 22-year-old shooting guard/point A few late order wick- took the headlines. guard played a key role as the team won all ets caused some panic, but She finished unbeaten on four of their matches against Scotland and Shropshire completed a fine 100, made from 79 balls, and Ireland to lift the trophy in Bangor, North- win with four balls to spare. including 12 fours and five ern Ireland. Jones and Home main- sixes. Having endured three second-placed fin- tained their form in Shrop- Shropshire’s final game ishes in four years in the competition with shire’s second T20 clash of the Festival took place on Wales previously, Eardley said: “It is prob- with Warwickshire. day third when the faced an ably up there with anything I have won. I The duo both scored 38 to Invitational XI. have had a lot of second-placed finishes in Shropshire post what looked Choosing to bowl first, the competition, but this is my first win in like a below par total of 117, Shropshire chipped away it so it is probably at the top of my list of as Warwickshire’s spin and with early wickets to peg achievements.” slow bowlers help contained the talented batting line Wales made a flying start to the three-day the score. up of the Invitational XI, event, defeating Scotland 59-50 and Ireland In reply, Warwickshire with Hannah Young claim- 52-38. got off to a flying start but ing three victims and Jordi They followed it up by beating Scotland the introduction of off-spin- Matthews, Cooper and Ar- 40-38 in a final day nail-biter, which con- ner Hannah Young helped nold two each. firmed Wales as champions, before wrap- turn the match Shropshire’s The batting depth of the ping up the competition with a 46-24 win way. youngsters showed, as they over Ireland. She claimed 3-17 and with reached a competitive score captain Lucy Arnold pro- of 168. Shropshire’s own Strongest ducing a steady spell of 15, Ellie Micklewright (26 from Eardley, who has been in the Wales set- Shropshire restricted War- 24 balls) and Harriet Rol- up for five years, had an inkling prior to the wickshire to 112-7 to claim lason (12*) were thorns in tournament that this year’s team might a narrow five-run success. the side of their own county have the necessary quality to succeed where Day two saw Matthews with solid contributions. previous versions had failed. provided the highlight of the A much-changed Shrop- He said: “We knew we had a very strong trip during a superb victory shire batting line up found squad. We had quite a few training sessions Sam Eardley proudly shows off his winning medal following his Celtic Cup success with Wales Under-23s over Yorkshire in a 45-over going tough against an ener- before the competition and it did feel like contest. getic and enthused bowling our strongest team for some time. Prior to that he has the small matter of a He said: “The operation was a year ago. He said: “After the initial operation there Shropshire produced and fielding effort, but Ra- “We did have one lad – Phillip Pratt – Materials Science degree at Oxford Univer- I had to take three or four months’ rest. was someone there (in the hospital) that one of their finest batting chel Chesters (23) kept her who was missing because he was playing sity to finish in the coming year. Then it was another three or four months played wheelchair basketball that intro- displays in recent times to side in the chase. for Great Britain which we knew would af- Eardley has completed three years of the before I was able to start playing again, and duced me to the sport, and I took it up as overcome a tough total of At 108-8, Shropshire fect us. four-year course and he said: “The GB sen- I am still recovering now. soon as I got out of hospital.” 223, cruising to victory with looked out of the game but “He is one of our play-makers but we had ior side is certainly an aim. “They say it is about 18 months before Eardley, who is currently without a club, seven overs to spare and a strong last-wicket showing such a strong squad that we could rely on “Obviously there are a lot of very good you are fully recovered but it makes me feel has since gone on to play for Wolverhamp- eight wickets in hand. from Home (28) and Robyn other players to help out in his absence.” players but hopefully when I have finished that I am getting back to my best.” ton Rhinos and Stoke Mandeville Aces and Cooper once again bowled Mathews (18*) looked set to Having secured the illusive trophy, Eard- my degree I can put more practice in and Eardley had to overcome that significant is currently training five days a week to de- with control and consist- help them over the line until ley is already looking to the future. hopefully reach that standard.” obstacle to help claim the Celtic Cup but an- velop his game. ency, taking 1-32 from her the final wicket fell on 150. The former Adams Grammar School Eardley’s progress, both sporting and yone who knows him will not be surprised Few would bet against him adding to his nine overs as Yorkshire Rollason (1-20) bowled pupil will be unable to repeat his latest academic, were briefly curtailed by a shoul- by his successful comeback. already impressive achievements on the piled up a daunting total of with excellent control triumph next year as changes to the selec- der injury which left him out of action for He has overcome far worse in his life, basketball court in the future, but should 223-4. against her fellow Shrop- tion criteria will make him ineligible for the around six months last year. having been paralysed from the waist down that not work out Eardley, who briefly has In reply, Jones (31) set shire players. Under-23s. Surgery was required to remedy a dis- after suffering a complication during a spi- also played wheelchair rugby for Wales, But he is setting his sights on one day location, but he has come roaring back on nal operation aged just 14.