RAIN spared Kidderminster an embarrassing rout against Birmingham Cricket League Division One leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth.

The home side were reeling at 52-8 in reply to West Bromwich's 172 when the heavens opened to force the game's abandonment.

West Bromwich had made a hesitant start losing Randhawa to Aussie pace bowler Mark Harrity (4-42) with just 12 runs on the board.

When the visitors' top batsman Poonia (nine) was bowled by Harrity to leave them on 64-3 after 17 overs Kidderminster hopes rose.

Skipper Matt Rawnsley briefly blunted the Kidderminster attack but when McDonald was out for a duck West Bromwich were 90-5 with only 24 overs bowled.

Rawnsley reached 22 when Kidderminster captain Sean Lloyd caught him off Marc Derrick's bowling.

Jonathan Wright mopped up the tail by the 42nd over to leave Kidderminster a target of 173 for victory.

Any hopes of an unlikely victory were soon in tatters however as Wright and Craig Wood were dismissed for ducks and Chris Jones for a single. Vic Lawes managed just seven and Kidderminster were floundering at 9-4 after only five overs.

Some dedicated batting by Mark Mansell and Ted Baylis put a brief stop to the mayhem before Baylis (21) was bowled.

Farooq and Derricks both fell but with Lloyd and Harrity at the wicket the heavy rain came to save Kidderminster from defeat. Kidderminster took eight points, West Brom nine.