THE weather came to Kidderminster Victoria's rescue when it looked as though they would be thumped by table-topping West Bromwich Dartmouth in Birming-ham League Division One at Chester Road on Saturday.

KVCC had done well to bowl out their in-form visitors for just 172 in 42 overs and looked to have a great chance of an upset as their bowling display earned them an extra 13 overs to get the runs.

But in the end the rain that had hovered around all afternoon saved their embarrassment after they crashed to 52-8 in 22 overs.

With the rest of the division's fixtures being rained off, league positions remain unchanged and eight points from the abandonment leaves KVCC in ninth place in the table.

KVCC played well in the field but had the worst of the weather when batting and will want to put it out of their minds when they visit Bromsgrove who are just five points and one place above them in the table this Saturday.

KVCC went into the match with only one defeat in their previous seven matches, and started brightly.

The league leaders began hesitantly and lost Randhawa to Worcester-shire staff bowler Mark Harrity (4-42) for three with the score at 12.

They slipped to 64-3 in 17 overs as Harrity and Kamran Farooq (1-48) claimed another wicket apiece, and then Harrity grabbed his third victim.

Wicket-keeper Tom Sherriff played his part with two catches in a good opening spell.

West Bromwich rallied before Ted Baylis (2-38) picked up his first wicket and skipper Sean Lloyd caught his visiting counterpart Rawnsley for 22 off the bowling of Marc Derrick.

Sajjad produced some good shots to hit 36 to move the score past the 150-mark but then Baylis had him caught and Jonathan Wright came on to mop up the tail, claiming two wickets in seven balls without conceding a run.

Rain was in the air when Kidderminster started their reply and Wright, their top scorer in the division, was quickly caught behind for his first duck of the season.

Craig Wood also went without scoring and Chris Jones went for one, providing wicket-keeper Breakspear with a hat-trick of catches.

The home side limped to 9-4 when Vic Lawes fell to another catch behind in the fifth over and although Mark Mansell (6) and Baylis (21) saw the score up to 30, Mansell was bowled and Baylis ended up as Breakspear's fifth victim at 48-6.

Farooq and Derrick went cheaply to Tahir (3-1) but the rain had got steadily heavier and the match was abandoned with Kidderminster on 52-8 and staring defeat in the face.

WB Dartmouth 172, KVCC 52-8.

The seconds also fell victim to the weather after bowling out Old Hill for 155 in the Premier Division. Chris Pyke (3-30) and Rob Bratt (3-35) bowled well to no avail.

l Kidderminster host two matches at Chester Road next week, starting with the Worcestershireshire Cricket Board U21s taking on Wales U21s on Monday.

Worcestershire 2nds are in action against Somerset 2nds on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Play starts at 11am each day and admission is free.