KIDDERMINSTER Victoria are top of the Birmingham League Premier after seeing off Kenilworth Wardens by 24 runs.

KVCC's excellent start to the campaign continued with a third straight win.

Home Kenilworth won the toss and asked KVCC to bat and they were rewarded with a wicket off the second ball when Rajan Bhatti caught skipper Matt Pardoe for a duck.

With the score on 27, Bhatti had Ryan Derrick caught by keeper Nick Sale for five. The total had reached 54 by the 13th over, and once again Bhatti claimed struck again, getting Nathan Round out lbw for 20.

Craig Wood made five runs when he went down the wicket to Matthew Hancock, but he misjudged the ball and was stumped by Sale.

It was getting difficult for KVCC on a wicket which made batting diffucult but Michael Hill looked comfortable and had reached 31, before being caught by Sitanshu Kotak bowled Udit Talati.

KVCC were 84-5 but matters did not improve, with two more batsmen out with the score reaching 99 after 32 overs.

Jonathan Wright (8) was out caught by Hancock off Talati, then Andrew Siwicki (4) was caught Talati bowled Kotak.

Fifteen runs had been added when Conor Smith (15) was caught by Sale bowled Hancock.

The last three batsmen took the score up 145, with Andy Kimberlin (13) fell LBW to Kotak, while Richard Kimberlin (16) was out Lbw to Talati, and Tom Kimberlin finished on two not out as Kidderminster finished 145 all out.

Wardens found batting just as difficult, losing their first three wickets for 30 runs. Martin Donald (8) was bowled by Hill, Keith Bell (10) was caught Round bowled Smith and Ryan Parnell (1) was caught by Tom Kimberlin off Pardoe.

Kenilworth were 75-3 when Nathan Edwards (18) was bowled by Pardoe, and Anthony Wilkinson had scored just one when KVCC's captain took his third.

Salati (2) was out caught Siwicki bowled Wright, while Kotak (40) had put up stubborn resistance, batting for some 114 minutes.

There were 12 overs left and 50 runs required, but some tight bowling by Wright and Round won the day.

Bhatti (1) was bowled by Round, Sale (5) was dismissed by Wright and Richard Kimberlin took a good catch to dismiss David Wood, giving Round his third wicket.

Round took 3-23, Pardoe 3-26 and Wright 2-28. Hill and Smith took one wicket each.