KIDDERMINSTER Victoria CC got off the mark in the Birmingham and District League Premier Division with a five-wicket win at Walsall.

They produced a much-improved bowling performance compared to recent weeks, to restrict the hosts.

Worcestershire seam bowler Chris Whelan (1-34) made his first start for KVCC to bolster the Chester Road side’s attack but it was spinner Mark Mansell who had the biggest say, taking four wickets to put the Black Country side to the sword.

Captain Jonathan Wright won the toss and put Walsall into bat.

Whelan opened the bowling with Gareth Williams and the duo had the home side under control and only conceded 15 runs off their first eight overs. Williams made the breakthrough when he had Jack Manuel caught by Neil Pinner for 13.

The score rose to 59 before the second wicket fell. Wright and Mark Mansell had replaced the opening bowlers and it was Mansell who struck first. He bowled Chris Jonker for 25 with a catch taken again by Pinner.

Paul Baker had opened the batting but was very slow off the mark, facing 15 balls before scoring a single. It was another 16 balls before he scored again but having reached 21 he was bowled by Wright.

The total had risen to 77 in the 32nd over when Pinner took a third catch off Whelan’s bowling to dismiss Alex McChristie (2).

Whelan, by his 11th over had only conceded 20, but his 12th over was expensive, costing 14 runs including two sixes on the short boundary.

Walsall were finding it hard going and lost two more wickets at 116 and 125. Richard Rawlinson (6) was stumped by Jon Smith off Mansell’s bowling, while Adam Breakspear was run out for a single.

Two more wickets fell at 147, with top-scorer Dave Powles caught by Wright off Mansell for 67.

Mansell captured his fourth wicket when he trapped Tom Freeman lbw for a duck, while Byrne had scored 23 when he was caught by Richard Kimberlin off Pinner’s delivery.

The not out batsmen were Colin Griggs (14) and Javid Ram (2) as Walsall ended on 180-9, with Mansell taking four wickets, with one each for Williams, Pinner Wright and Whelan.

The KVCC openers Craig Wood and Jon Smith, were not quite as cautious as Walsall’s top order but with only 34 runs scored, Smith was dismissed lbw by Griggs for 21. Wood then reached 26 when he was also trapped lbw by Jonker with KVCC on 56-2.

Pinner, who has been doing well with Worcestershire in the 40 overs game, had come in at number three and started batting well and he forged a fine partnership with James Ralph.

In the next 15 overs, the pair added 82 runs, with Pinner reaching his half century when he was caught by Powles off Ram’s bowling.

Ten runs later, Ralph was caught by McChristie for 46, having struck five boundaries and a six. It was Ram’s second wicket, but KVCC were well in control. Next man in, Andrew Kimberlin, was caught and bowled by Ram for eight, but victory was in sight for the away side.

It was left to Wright (20no) and Whelan (9no) to secure a very good win for KVCC with nearly 15 overs to spare.

Next Saturday KVCC are at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth and travel to Wellington on Bank Holiday Monday (both noon start).

n On Sunday, KVCC followed up their league success by progressing into the next round of the ECB National Club T20, as they saw off Barnards Green by 58 runs.

Ralph (31), Ryan Derrick (27) and Smith (22) top scored as KVCC made 149-9.

Wright then took three wickets for 19 runs and Jack Hudson 3-20 as Green were restricted to 91-9 in 20 overs.