BATTING star Richard Morris and all-rounder Euan Woods are expected to return to the Berkshire team for their top-of-the-table clash with Shropshire at Finchampstead, starting on Sunday (11am).

The Henley pair both missed last week’s 75-run win over Wiltshire, with Morris working and Woods on duty with Hampshire 2nds.

Several others were also absent at Corsham and it will not be until later in the week when head coach Tom Lambert will be able to confirm his squad.

“If everyone is available, then I am going to have a lot of headaches in terms of selection,” said Lambert, who gave debuts to three players last week.

Berkshire and Shropshire are the only two sides to have won both of their opening Western Division games, with the defending champions having beaten Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, while Shropshire proved too good for Cheshire and Herefordshire.

Shropshire did top the table until being deducted two points due to a slow over rate in their last game and so now trail Berkshire by one point.

The two counties met in the T20 competition at Wargrave in May, with Berkshire completing a double on their way to qualifying for Finals Day at Wormsley next month.

That should give them a boost, however, they are well aware that Shropshire will provide totally different opposition on their return to the Royal county.

They are a formidable side with an exciting player in Alexei Kervezee, who left Worcestershire last season after spending 11 years at New Road, having scored 4,621 first-class runs.

The 28-year-old all-rounder, who played 39 one-day internationals for Holland, scored 158 off 164 balls in Shropshire’s first innings against Herefordshire and was involved in a fifth-wicket stand of 269 with Ross Aucott (126).