KIDDERMINSTER Cricket Club started the season with victory over Shrewsbury in the Royal London National Knock Out Cup.

The claimed a first round win by 26 runs last weekend after bowling out their visitors for just 139.

KCC won the toss and elected to bat. Losing openers Sam Beadsworth (6) and skipper Neil Pinner (0) inside the first nine overs was not the best of starts with Michael Barnard taking both wickets.

Two more wickets were lost with the scores on 34 and 49. Connor Smith (11) was out lbw and Richard Kimberlin (7) bowled, both wickets taken by Ed Foster.

Opener Charlie Stainforth had scored 20 at this stage and was looking for support.

It came when keeper Tom Kimberlin joined him. The pair took the score up to 110. Kimberlin had reached 21 when he was caught off the bowling of Tyler Ibbotson. Stainforth was 55 not out.

Ibbotson took the next four wickets, accounting for Liam Weston (14) and Stainforth (69). Stainforth had faced 112 balls hitting eleven 4s. He also bowled Barney Morgan (11) and Mike Mitchell (0). This gave him excellent figures of 5-33 of 8 overs.

Gomez Vincent (O) was bowled by Lewis Evans and Chris Steele was 11 not out which included a six.

Barnard took 2-14, Ed Foster 2-20 and Evans also 1-20.

Shrewsbury lost two wickets by the 11th over with 48 runs in the book. Rob Foster (2) was caught by keeper Kimberlin bowled Connor Smith, and the same combination dismissed Will Parton for 25.

A stand of 44 between Ed Foster and Dillon Pennington had taken around ten overs due to some good cricket by KCC. On 39, Foster gave Tom Kimberlin his 3rd catch with Steele taking his first wicket for his new club.

With 17 overs remaining and 74 runs required, the teams were closely matched. However, only 7 runs were added when Pennington (25) was caught by Pinner giving Steele a second wicket.

Shrewsbury never got back into a winning position again, losing Harry Wassell (10) leg before to Stainforth, Bradley Thornton (2) run out Barney Morgan, Ibbotson (1) bowled Vincent and Greg Wassell (1) caught Richard Kimberlin also bowled Vincent. The score had reached 122-8.

The bowling sealed a good win for KCC. James Hulton-Harrap (3) was run out by Richard Kimberlin. Lewis Evans (15) was caught by Smith bowled Steele. Michael Barnard was three not out.

Steele took 3-20, Vincent 2-14, Smith 2-22 and Stainforth 1-34.

Kidderminster will play Stourbridge at home in the next round on Sunday, May 13th (1pm).

KCC travel to Bridgnorth for their opening league match this Saturday (noon start).