Report submitted by Brian Gittins

Birminghan League Premier Division

Kidderminster v Walsall

Walsall 202-9 (55 overs) KCC 204-4 (41.2 overs)

A good all round performance by Kidderminster to record only their second league win this season.

KCC won the toss and elected to field. Walsall lost their first wicket with only 19 runs in the book when Dannyjo Cox (9) was caught by keeper Tom Kimberlin off the bowling of George Scrimshaw.

A recovery saw the score rise to 83, but opener Dan Betty (28) was bowled by Liam Weston. Weston bowled James Middleton first ball to leave the total on 83.

KCC were getting on top and the score had only risen to 90 when Weston struck again, removing Mike Hingley for another duck.

The scoreboard read 90-4 after 17 overs. Bruce Thomason was batting well, having reached 71 with ten 4s and two 6s, until Matt Pardoe bowled him. Ed Denham (31) was looking in good form when trapped leg before by skipper Neil Pinner. Denham had struck four 4s.

With the score at 156-6 Kidderminster took the next three wickets for just 37 runs. Billy Joe Cox (22) was caught by Pinner bowled Pardoe, Paul Wicker (7) lbw to Pardoe and then Steven Plant (17) was caught by Connor Smith, giving Pardoe his fourth wicket. The not out batsmen were Sam Mills (6) and Robbie Byrne (2).

Pardoe registered figures of 17-4-4-41, and excellent bowling by Weston, 10-3-3-35 set the pace. Pinner and Scrimshaw took the other two wickets.

Kidderminster scored 80 runs off the first 15 overs, but on 81 they lost their first wicket when Sam Beadsworth (28) was out leg before to Ed Denham. Teenager Beadsworth hit four 4s.

Walsall were not prepared to lie down and took two more wickets, conceding only 15 runs. Opener Pardoe (53) hit seven 4s and two sixes before being caught by Middleton bowled Denham. The same pair saw the departure of George Hatfield for a duck.
Kidderminster made a good recovery reaching 199 before the fourth wicket fell with a good partnership between Pinner and Smith.

Pinner had scored 68 with nine 4s and a six before Denham trapped him leg before.

Liam Weston (4) joined Smith to seal the victory with plenty of overs to spare. Smith struck four 4s in his total 47.

Ed Denham bowled well with figures of 12-1-4-51.  

KCC are still at the bottom end of the league and travel to Shrewsbury next Saturday at 12 noon.