Kidderminster CC promoted back to the Birmingham and District Premier Division at the first attempt

KCC now only need six points from their remaining two matches to be crowned league champions.

Tamworth tried to make life difficult for the visitors after winning the toss and electing to bat, but it did not look good for the home side when they lost their first two wickets with only 20 runs scored.

Matters improved with the score rising to 52, but they lost three more wickets with addition of only nine runs.

A recovery saw the score rise with a good contribution by Stuart Burrows (79), helping his side post a total of 172 for Kidderminster to chase.

Once again KCC’s bowlers were in good form. Weston took 4-20, Steele 3-35, Stainforth 2-32 and Morgan 1-35.

Kidderminster made a steady start to their innings but lost two wickets at 63 and 68 by the 18th over.

But a solid 58 by skipper Neil Pinner, who formed a partnership of 52 with keeper Simon Greenall (22) brought the game to a close, sealing KCC’s passage back to the premier division.

Pinner said: “We are all really happy to have achieved our aim. Right from the start of the season we targeted promotion.

“We have been very consistent throughout the season, bowling and batting well, and I think we did that again on Saturday.

“We’ve had to be patient, but it probably was a bit more comfortable than we expected.”

Pinner admits he is already looking ahead of the last two matches of the season, with Kidderminster hosting bottom-of-the-table Brockhampton this Saturday (noon start) before a final day trip to Bromsgrove on September 15.

The skipper said: “There is a lot of pressure on teams at the bottom this season due to the relegated teams dropping out of the Birmingham League altogether, so we will not be taking any team lightly.

“We are always looking at the future and at how we can recruit players to improve the team. We have already got a couple of names in mind, and we will be approaching them once the season is over.”