SKIPPER Will Sparrow warned Ludlow’s trip to St Georges would be no walk in the park with four first-team players set to miss Saturday’s Shropshire Premier showdown.

Sparrow’s third-placed side will be without the captain himself, Louis Watkins, Gareth Parker and Jack Griffiths as they attempt to pressure early pacesetters Whitchurch, although Ruel Brathwaite returns.

It is the first of two away days before the current table-toppers head to the Burway at the end of the month and with Ludlow favouring the win-lose format that has now kicked in, Sparrow says now is the time to begin their pursuit.

“We are missing a few so it won’t be easy,” said Sparrow. “We would like to keep winning with a format that we prefer in the build-up to playing Whitchurch where hopefully, we can close that gap at the top.

“I feel we need to take advantage in the next few weeks and hope Whitchurch and the other sides around them slip up.”

They head into match on the back of a feast of runs against rock-bottom Albrighton on Saturday, a match they won by 211 runs in the end.

Sparrow won the toss and opted to bat with Ludlow making a solid start before opener Parker (26) was run out at 49 for one.

Keanu Cooper joined Sam Edwards (59) at the crease and rattled off 87 from as many balls, finding the boundary no fewer than seven times as a fruitful second-wicket partnership produced 135.

Edwards followed fairly quickly but at 221 for three, the middle order was able to attack without fear and Sparrow smashed five fours and four sixes in his 65 from 35 deliveries.

Will Gough (68*) also cleared the boundary nine times and added 88 for the fifth wicket alongside Glen Whittaker (43) to push Ludlow to a whopping 384 for five from their 50 overs.

Albrighton simply had no response as Danny Bradley (4-25) scalped their top three for the loss of just 16 runs before Ben Guest settled in and scored 40 from as many deliveries. A quartet of fours formed part of his hard-working resistance.

The support simply was not there to mount a credible challenge for a draw, although tail-ender Darren Shimmons top scored with 57 from 52 balls, bashing beyond the rope 10 times in one last act of Albrighton defiance.

In the end, Edwards (2-19) inevitably tidied up the tail with more than 14 overs to spare as the visitors ended on 173 all out.

“On the whole it was very good, particularly as we got full points from the win-lose format,” said Sparrow.

“Admittedly, it was against a really weak, struggling side so we cannot get carried away, although we did cash in and take full advantage.

“Scoring well never does any harm but we are aware there will be tougher tests to come as we look to put together a winning run.”