FANTASTIC fielding guided Kidderminster Victoria to a second Birmingham and League Division One victory over the Bank Holiday weekend.

KVCC recorded a three-wicket win at Stratford on Monday, several days after a superb home victory over much-fancied Harborne, to move up to fifth in the table.

They asked Stratford to bat and allowed them only 196 runs on a good wicket but reaching the target proved a harder task than it first appeared.

The visitors still triumphed with 17 overs to spare but were close to being beaten by opponents who eventually ran out of steam.

KVCC's bowling was tight with runs difficult to come by as well as early wickets falling to Ted Baylis and Matt Friedlander through catches from Will Gifford and Jonathan Wright.

Donald put up stern defence but fell for 22 when Duncan Willetts claimed a stumping off Andy Sutton's bowling.

With Stratford reduced to 56-3 off 25 of the 55 overs and Dawes (23) bowled by Wright, Stratford found another run-maker in Thomson.

But the hosts were struggling again at 167-6 from 49 overs after Nigel Davenport bowled Thomson (26) and Wright dismissed Swaffield (16).

Joshi became Baylis' second victim and Lamb, the only man to offer real resistance, finally fell in the last over for a superb 68, caught by Craig Wood off skipper Wright's bowling.

Baylis finished with 3-47 and Wright 3-36, giving KVCC a target of 197 which they then struggled to attain.

Wright fell for three, Sean Lloyd for five, Gifford and Davenport for ducks and Wood could add only six as KVCC went from 21-4 to 64-5 by the 17th over.

Strike bowler Friedlander soon showed he was a hard-hitting batsman and accelerated the score to 102 with Andy Mason who was trapped leg before for a useful 12.

Peter Stevens, carrying a bit of shoulder trouble, found the bowling to his liking and Friedlander reached his 78-ball century with a big six.

KVCC completed a tremendous win with Friedlander finishing on 112 not out and Stevens unbeaten on 39.

Stratford 196-9, KVCC 199-7.

KVCC secured a thrilling seven-wicket win under the new leadership of Wright against Harborne on Saturday with the help of 109 not out from teenager Gifford.

With the visitors asked to bat first, Baylis and Friedlander kept them in check, claiming the first wicket with 32 runs on the board.

Willetts caught Simon Gear (15) off Friedlander's bowling but Dan Wood and Andy Lloyd then doubled the score before Baylis dismissed the former for 24 through another catch behind.

A partnership of 52 between Lloyd and Howell Morris saw Harborne get into their stride but Davenport leapt into action to help reduce them to 116-3 from 36 overs.

Davenport trapped Morris leg before for 17 but the combination of Wright and Mark Mansell really stemmed the tide.

Wright seized six wickets, the first a catch from Willetts to dismiss Lloyd (52), and Sutton claimed a victim on his firsts debut via a Friedlander catch.

The game was swinging in KVCC's favour but Jon Cockcroft proved the man they needed to put back in the pavilion.

Wright removed Mark Hambleton for six, Tim Clay for 12 and then tempted Cockcroft into one six too many.

After striking one boundary, he attempted another but was caught just inside the ropes by Baylis after making an excellent 65 runs.

From 230-8, Harborne could add just one more run as Wright bowled Dave Lovell for a duck and Willetts took a fourth catch to remove Mark Thompson.

Wright's three wickets in the final over completed a tremendous 6-47 which represented a great start to his captaincy.

It was a reasonable target but the opening partnership of Mansell, who set about the bowling with confident striking, and Wright did not last too long.

Wright was bowled by Hickey for only 11, only for new batsman Gifford to prove a match-winner.

The 18-year-old started confidently and the pair had added 60 runs when Mansell (56) was adjudged lef before with only 22 overs gone.

Gifford was joined by former Malvern College batting partner C Wood and the two teenagers again showed how it should be done.

Good running gave the fielders plenty to do and while Wood stroked plenty of twos, he also hit some nice fours.

It was Gifford scoring at the higher rate and Wood (44) fell six runs short of his half-century, caught by Gear off Cockcroft's bowling.

Gifford reached his century landmark with a hard-struck four to earn a standing ovation, while Davenport crashed a four and a six to end on 10 not out.

However, it was the youngster's day in a fine team performance and he must be destined for greater things.

Harborne 231, KVCC 236-3.

A tough visit to Shrewsbury, who are yet to win but have drawn four of their five fixtures, awaits KVCC on Saturday.

First teamer Lloyd believes the Shropshire side will be among KVCC, Leamington and Kenilworth in challenging for Division One honours at the end of the season.

He admitted: "I know a lot of their players and they are going to be a good side. It's a nice ground and we will be looking to win."