CAPTAIN Jonathan Wright was the hero as Kidderminster Victoria earned the lion’s share of the points with a winning draw against Knowle and Dorridge.

The Chester Road side had made 258-5 but Knowle looked to have that score in their sights as they reached 191-2, needing 69 runs from nine overs from victory.

But spinner Wright, who took 4-26, made the difference with a late flurry of wickets to reduce the Warwickshire side to 204-7.

Knowle won the toss and decided to field, but there was a light delay to the start.

However, it did not look like a good decision, when KVCC openers, Marc Edwards and Andy Kimberlin, settled in.

The score had reached 59 in the 16th over when Kimberlin was caught by Sam Reddish, bowled Justin Hemming, for 23, which included three fours.

Neil Pinner, not in great form with the bat so far this season, joined Edwards, and scoring took off.

In the next 23 overs they added 114 runs with some good running between the stumps.

On 93, with a century surely due, Edwards was bowled by Chris Davidson to leave KVCC 173-2.

He had batted for 144 minutes, faced 136 balls, and hit eight fours.

Pinner was then joined by wicketkeeper Ben Cox and the gloveman hit 22 off 19 balls in 20 minutes, including two fours and a six, before being caught by visiting skipper Jamie Spiers to give Davidson his second wicket.

KVCC had now scored 216-3 in 45 overs, but with only four overs remaining more action was called for.

It came in the shape of newly turned 17-year-old Zac Turley.

He and Pinner kept the run-rate up, adding 42 runs.

Inevitably, someone was to lose his wicket, and it was Turley. Having faced 20 balls in 16 minutes, hitting three fours, he was stumped by Nick Sale off the bowling of Davidson for 31.

Davidson picked up his fourth wicket when Wright went without scoring.

Pinner had played superbly and his patient 73 not out had taken just under two hours as he faced 74 balls.

With KVCC seam bowler Gareth Williams out of action it looked like it was going to be an up-hill battle to stem a run chase.

With 111 runs coming from the first 22 overs, it came as a relief when David Hemp was caught by Marc Edwards bowled Pinner for 55.

Thirty-eight more runs were added before the next wicket fell.

Another catch by Edwards off the bowling of Wright, removed Luke Parker for 25 who had hit two fours and a six.

At 149-2 after 32 overs, the game was in the balance, and a further 42 runs inside eight overs made it 190-2 and put Knowle in pole-position for victory.

Suddenly things changed, with skipper Wright leading the charge as four wickets fell for seven runs.

Reddish was run out without scoring, Attiq Chishti was out lbw to Pinner for 23, Spiers was caught by Cox bowled Wright for one, and Davidson was out to a superb slip catch by Pinner to give Wright his fourth wicket, rounding off a brilliant bowling display. Neil Pinner took 2-36 from 13 overs.