Yet another season that showed a lot of promise, but once again the team never fulfiled its true potential.

The batsmen certainly did their part on plenty of occasions, but the bowlers did not really give them sufficient backing.

However, in their defence, the availability of Imran Arif from Worcestershire CCC club tailed off and he was missed.

In nine games he had taken 26 wickets and surely a full season would have produced a good total. Kevin Forde, the New Zealander who performed well as our overseas player in 2007, was due back, but failed to get a visa. He took 39 wickets and would have been a valuable member of the team.

At home KVCC were very good, winning seven, drawing two, one abandoned, and only losing one. That loss was against Wolverhampton, a match they really should have won.

Away from home it was an entirely different picture. Eight losses, two matches abandoned and only one win. That came on the opening day of the season at Moseley.

The worst performance was at Walmley when KVCC were bowled out for just 61. Only James Ralph and Neil Pinner reached double figures, with 15 extras saving us from total humiliation.

The games at both Wolverhampton and Bromsgrove could have been won with better application, but it has to be said, not many wickets are as true and fair as those found at Chester Road.

The team scored plenty of runs on occasions. Their highest score was 266-7 at Leamington, yet they lost. They scored 263 at Bromsgrove and also lost. There were two scores of 261, so they had some in-form batsmen most of the time.

Top scorer was Matt Pardoe with 723 runs. This teen-ager came to KVCC from Halesowen CC and is a member of the County Academy team. He scored 104 at Bromsgrove and the following week 115 against Leamington at Chester Road. He can bowl left arm medium as well as spin.

A very nice young man who must have a future in the game.

Craig Wood has always shown promise and he showed this by scoring 705 runs this season. He spends plenty of time practicing, and is a very stylish player. He scored a 124 runs, against Bromsgrove at home in early September and forged a strong opening partnership with Pardoe in several matches.

Another of our young players, Neil Pinner, is also an Academy player. He scored 461 runs but had a mixed start to the season. His highest score was 85 not out. Neil is the third generation of his family to play first team cricket for Kidderminster, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Bill, and his father Brian.

James Ralph is a Kidderminster “old boy,” having left and returned in recent years. He moved back from Shifnal, but despite a decent start, never really fulfiled his promise. However, he scored 422 runs and is a useful spin bowler. He also captains Shropshire’s Minor Counties team.

Ted Baylis is a more than useful all-rounder, but although he often hits the ball a long way he can show plenty of ability when steadiness is called for. He scored 258 runs, but his haul of wickets was only 23; a big drop from the 46 he took in 2007.

Skipper Jonathan Wright, on his own admission, had the worst season with the bat he can remember. Apart from his 58 not out in 25 balls against Bromsgrove in the penultimate game at Kidderminster, and 50 runs in a century partnership with Wood that won the match against Walsall, he was often more effective with the ball. After Arif he was the leading wicket-taker with 25.

Arfan Khan bowled steadily, taking 21, and Mark Mansell finished with 15.

After failing to win any silverware since 2004, KVCC finally became successful, winning the Graham Williamson Trophy. This competition of 40 overs is for Premier Division teams plus several invitees from the lower divisions.

KVCC made good progress in both the League Challenge Cup and the new ECB 20/20 competition without any major success, but having reached the third round of the Cockspur National Knockout Cup, one game from the regional final, they lost to Knowle & Dorridge.

With the second XI winning their division with some promising young players, plus the strength of the first XI’s batting, it remains only to find a good bowler for 2010.