KIDDERMINSTER Victoria CC suffered a batting collapse as they slumped to a 30 run loss at the hands of Wolverhampton in the opening match of the Birmingham and District League Premier Division on Saturday.

The team had given themselves a good chance of victory when they restricted home side Wolverhampton to 142-9 but they were unable to take advantage as they were bowled out for 112.

The Chester Road side went into the game full of confidence after knocking Wolverhampton out of the Graham Williamson Trophy the week before.

New overseas bowler Mario Saliwa, who had not arrived in the country until the end of last week, made an immediate impact when the South African pace ace struck in the second over to bowl Aneesh Kapil (4).

Wolverhamption tried to rally through Aaron O'Connor and Chris Brook, who guided the hosts to 38-1. Ted Bayliss (who took 2-27) kept the pressure on the Black Country side when he had O'Connor caught behind by wicketkeeper Josh Knappett for 13 runs.

The slow out field was making it difficult to get many boundaries, so the score had only reached 52-2 by the 24th over when the third wicket fell.

The Baylis-Knappett combination struck again when Wolverhampton's skipper Simon Lycett was their next victim having scored only one run.

The home side rallied but could only manage 30 runs from the next ten overs, before leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule became Knappett's third scalp off Jonathan Wright's bowling and was dismissed for 12 as they were reduced to 82-4.

Mark Mansell bowled Brook for a very patient 50 and with 15 overs left KVCC looked to be taking control of the game.

Mansell (2-29) struck again in the 46th over when Chris Pyke caught Akeel Ahmed for five runs. Phil Shaw gave Saliwa (2-34) his second wicket by catching Imran Jamshed (6).

Dan Bowyer was run out for 25 and David Manning for seven as Wolverhampton were kept to 142-9.

On a wicket which made life difficult for the batsmen, the visitors never got to grips and struggled to make inroads into Wolverhampton's small target.

They were struggling to cope with the bowling of Bahutule and Chris Russell, who captued the wickets of openers Shaw, Knappett and number three Neil Pinner for only 26 runs.

Captain Wright tried to patiently add runs but the wickets tumbled around him, with Craig Wood bowled lbw for just one run.

Pyke decided to open up and scored 18 runs, including a six, before he was caught.

Bahutule, a former Indian Test player, was conceding runs but giving the batsmen reason to be cautious.

Wright found a good partner in Mansell, and they added a half century before Mansell was Russell's third victim having scored 16.

At 107-6 KVCC should have been looking for a draw, but when Wright was out for 45, and the tail end was unable to add any crucial runs, Kidderminster Victoria tasted opening day defeat.