KIDDERMINSTER Victoria Cricket Club are braced for a nerve-jangling winner-takes-all shoot-out for promotion with Birmingham League Division One rivals Smethwick on Saturday.

The Chester Road men require a home victory or a convincing winning draw to pip Smethwick to second-place and clinch a return to the top flight.

If they are successful on Saturday, there is still an outside chance of taking the title, in the unlikely event that leaders Shrewsbury slip up at home to Sutton Coldfield.

After the heartbreak of heading the table for most of last season, only to collapse late on, promotion is imperative this time around, according to first XI team manager John Barrett.

He has challenged his players to follow the example of England's Ashes-winning heroes by putting everything into Saturday's decider.

"It's cometh the hour cometh the man for all of our lads," said Barrett. "It's a bit like the England team the other day. We're on the last lap of the race and overcoming just one more hurdle will help us get to where we want to be.

"We can't afford to worry about what Shrewsbury are up to because if they win the title, so be it.

"The important thing is that our destiny is in our own hands and we know if we win we will be promoted."

KVCC's roller-coaster season encountered another trough last weekend when their clash at Sutton fell foul of the weather.

Although Shrewsbury and Smethwick also suffered the frustration of being rained off, Kidderminster felt as if they had missed a great chance to gain ground on their fellow promotion contenders.

Barrett, who left Evesham to take up his role at Chester Road last summer, insists that his side deserve to go up, even though they have choked on a couple of occasions.

"We lost to Harborne a few weeks ago which was hard to take, but we're a good side and we have bounced back from that superbly.

"The good thing about this season is that no team has run away with the league and there's been ourselves and two or three other pushing hard all season.

"Smethwick are a strong side who have only lost once all season, but we are very confident because we know what's at stake.

"This town deserves a team in the Premier Division and we will be desperate to make sure that happens on Saturday.

Barrett was playing his cards close to his chest regarding team selection, but he insited that all of the players were "well and truly up for it."

KVCC will be anxious to avenge their 58-run defeat at Smethwick in July. The game pits Kidderminster captain Jonathan Wright against former Old Hill team-mate David Banks, now skipper at Smethwick.

The match gets under way at noon at Chester Road and, weather-permitting, is expected to conclude around 7pm.