A STRONG partnership by James Taylor and Craig Wood guided Kidderminster Victoria to a confidence boosting win over Kenilworth Wardens in the Cockspur National Knockout Cup on Sunday.

A defiant performance by the duo with the bat was enough to give Kidderminster a formidable score of 208-7 and allowed their bowlers to restrict Kenilworth make sure they move into round four of the regional rounds and play Gloucestershire sid Frocester.

The team got off to a good start when captain Jonathan Wright won the toss and opted for his side to bat.

But the loss of Wright for seven runs and Mark Mansell's retirement meant Josh Knappett and Taylor had to rebuild their team's innings.

Knappett was dismissed for 19 and was replaced by Wood, who hit a powerful 70 and alongside Taylor, who struck 55 runs, got Kidderminster back on track.

Chris Pyke hit 19 runs near the end as Kidderminster posted 208-7 in 45 overs.

Strong bowling by Neal Pinner (3-26) and Wright (2-24) ensured Kenilworth could not reach Kidderminster's score and restricted the Warwickshire side to 144-9 in 43 overs.

Victory also ensure that Kidderminster bounced back from a 52 run defeat to Walmley in the Birmingham and and District League Premier Division on Saturday.

Despite New Zealand bowler Kevin Forde taking 6-44 and Mark Mansell scoring 49 runs, Kidderminster somehow managed to lose this low-scoring game.

Despite being hampered by a wicket , which had been subject to heavy rain only two days before, Kidderminster's batsmen did not work hard enough to seal a valuable win Bowling first KVCC took control of the game and reduced Walmley to 33-3.

Wright set the tone by taking a diving catch to dismiss Poonia off Forde's bowling.

Woakes (36) Hampson (34) and Bromley (35) put some backbone into the innings, but Breakspear (4) was stumped by wicketkeeper Knappett off Ted Baylis's delivery.

Walmley had made 127-6 by the 26th over but Forde, who took a five wicket haul in his last game, helped keep Kidderminster's opponents to 149 all out. Ted Baylis (3-39) and Mark Mansell (1-21) also bowled well.

Wright and Mansell opened for KVCC, but Kidderminster's captain left a ball outside his off stump only to see it dart in and remove a bail and be dismissed for 13 runs.

This sparked a batting collapse as the procession of Kidderminster batsmen back to the pavilion started.

Taylor (1), Knappett (2), Wood (0), Andy Siwicki (7) and Ted Baylis (0) all went cheaply.

Matt Brace, who had bowled tidily, settled in and looked as if he might stem the rot, but having reached nine was out. Forde went for a duck, while Craig Siwicki scored one.

Veteran Mark Mansell kept his head as the wickets tumbled around him and showed his team mates how to do it with a patient display before he was bowled out for 49. Jonathan Miles put up a brave attempt to support Mansell and finished eight not out.

Bowlers Murray Hampson (4-29), Chris Woakes (3-20) and G Ricketts (3-23) did the damage for the high-flying Walmley, who rose to second in the table.