CRAIG Wood's century was the highlight as Kidderminster Victoria took the lion's share of the spoils with a winning draw against Birmingham and District League Premier Division strugglers Wolverhampton on Saturday.

KVCC had looked set for a rare victory this season when Wood helped guide them to 249-5 but they were denied maximum points by some dogged batting by the Black Country side's lower order batsmen.

Despite only a draw, the 17 points picked up helped to solidify KVCC's mid-table spot and made it five games since they last tasted outright defeat.

Wood was the driving force for KVCC's batting order, as wickets went at regular intervals around him.

After losing the toss, KVCC were put into bat and suffered an early setback when Matt Pardoe, who had scored 213 for Worcestershire's seconds last week, was bowled by Chris Russell for 13 runs.

Neil Pinner and Wood took the score to 68 before Russell claimed his second wicket when he had the former caught by Alex Grant for 22.

KVCC lost two wickets to Johan Bothma on 111, with James Ralph (7) caught by Suni Patel and Andy Kimberlin out lbw for a duck.

Sixty-five runs later, skipper Jonathan Wright, having given good support to Wood, was caught by Aaron Jeavons bowled Andy Bowyer for 31 as KVCC fell to 176-5.

Marc Edwards was trapped for a golden duck to hand Bowyer his second wicket, but with Wood in good form and Chris Whelan also doing well, KVCC rallied.

Whelan was stumped on 24 by Alex Grant and Wood's impressive innings of 118 came to an end when he became Russell's third victim. He had batted for 198 minutes, hitting 11 fours and one six.

Richard Kimberlin looked in good for his 15 not out, with Mark Mansell unbeaten on three as KVCC made 249-8 in their 55 overs.

Gareth Williams made early in-roads into Wolverhampton's batting order when he had Patel (4) trapped lbw and Hammond caught by wicket keeper Pinner for six runs.

The score had risen to 45 when the other opener, Grant, was run out for 17.

Wolverhampton were not looking too good and lost two more wickets with the addition of only 16 runs.

First batter to depart was Chris Brook. He had scored four when he was out caught Pinner and bowled by Whelan. The next to depart was Danny Bowyer, caught by James Ralph off Wright's spin for three.

Only Jeavons was showing any great fight, keeping the scoreboard ticking over with some well-struck fours. Bothma helped the score up to 97 when he was run out for 13.

James Ralph came onto bowl and finished his third over with two wickets off the last two balls, both lbw, while Russell was out for 16 and Bowyer for a duck.

However, they were the last Wolverhampton wickets to fall as Jeavons' determined 83 steering his side to 169-8 and a share of the spoils.

Williams and Ralph each took two wickets, with Whelan and Wright getting one each, while the economical Mansell conceded only 31 runs from his 12 overs.

KVCC travel to Bottom club Smethwick on Saturday (noon start) hoping to maintain their present good form.