KVCC 2005 cricket season review

On two occasions, they looked as if the would succeed, but faltered at the final hurdle.

This season, they have always been up near the top, and indeed led the field on more than one occasion.

It was a close finish, with opponents on the final day, Smethwick, just failing by two points to join us back in the Premier division.

Shrewsbury, league winners, tasted life in the Premier, but lasted just one season, so will know what they face.

Leamington have done likewise, and Water Orton before them. It will not be easy, and there will certainly be a need for some new faces at Chester Road.

Kidderminster Victoria and Shrewsbury both won 12 of their 22 games, but Shrewsbury more often than not chose to bat first and then attempt to bowl their opponents out, thus gaining more points for a win.

KVCC chose the other way. See how many runs the other side get, and beat it.

KVCC skipper Jonathan Wright, won about 17 of the tosses so was able to dictate terms. With the superb Kidderminster batting line-up, he more often than not got it right.

They were unbeaten at home, and won six of their away fixtures. They threw away a big chance of another win by drawing with Water Orton at Chester Road, four runs short with two wickets in hand. Their four losses away from home saw them play poorly each time.

Led by experienced opening batsman Wright, they produced some exciting finishes, with top scores of more than 200 nine times.

The most runs came in the home fixture against Harborne when KVCC chasing the visitors 275-5, won with 276-6.

Wright was top-scorer with 728 runs, which included two centuries and five 50s.

Divan van Wyk, last year's South African Under-19s captain, was close behind. He scored 624, with one century, but should have scored far more. He must surely make the higher grade in future years.

Local boy Craig Wood showed what a fine batsman he is turning out to be. He also made his maiden century in his total of 508. His serious approach to the game will be a big asset to KVCC next year.

Will Gifford, an England Under-19 player, spent his third year at Chester Road when finishing at college. On the county's books, he has a good future. His total was 460 in only eleven games.

Josh Knappett, also listed by Worcestershire, joined us when the college term ended. His wicket keeping was a revelation, as was his batting. He not only scored 281 runs from 10 Innings, but also took 19 catches and claimed six stumpings.

Knappett looked the best keeper in the league and hopefully, together with Gifford, will be back at Chester Road in 2006.

There were useful batting contributions from Mark Mansell ((232), Ted Baylis (181), Peter Stevens (131), and Nigel Davenport (125).

No matter how many runs you score, the problem comes with bowling the opposition out.

This has been a shortcoming with KVCC in the last three seasons. Only Mandeep Singh with 41 wickets in 2002, and Ted Baylis 37 in 2004, were able to trouble opponents on a regular basis.

However, this season KVCC bowled their opponents out in 10 matches.

This year, Craig Jennings arrived on the scene. This 20-year-old, having had a few games with Northants in 2004, took 5-14 for our second XI while waiting to be registered.

He is extremely fast and is full of heart. At times, he becomes frustrated when things go wrong, but that only makes him try harder.

He, above anyone, must take a lot of credit for Kidderminster's successful season. His 45 wickets was the difference between promotion and staying in Division One.

Jennings wants to come back to Kidderminster, but with luck this young bowler, who also knows how to bat, could find his way back into the First Class game.

There are plenty much worse than Jennings making a good living on the county circuit.

Baylis took 31 wickets, but should have taken more. When he is in the right mood, he can be a match winner, but needs to think bigger.

He is one of Kidderminster's better players as an all-rounder, but he can improve much further. He and Jennings were a superb opening attack.

Former skipper Mansell keeps predicting his retirement, but he took 29 important wickets with his spin bowling. He could be relied on to break a stubborn partnership, and was responsible for more than one win.

Davenport, another spinner, had 25 wickets to his name from only 108 overs. He only bowled in 13 matches, but was a greatly improved player from 2004. He can be a match-winner next year with plenty of hard work.

Wright's 17 wickets came from spin, again from a few economical overs.

Marc Derrick gets his place for his sheer commitment. He will bowl his heart out for little reward, but each of his 11 wickets were deserved. He can show everyone an example when it comes to hard work.

So, KVCC face a return to the Premier Division. They have the basis of a good team, with several youngsters showing their ability.

It will require hard work and a better turn out at practice. A good spin bowler and perhaps an opening bat would not come amiss.

The gap between a very useful second XI and the Premier is huge, but there are players who could make the grade in a season or two.

Van Wyk might return, and maybe the county will let us have Gifford and Knappett, together with any other useful up-and-coming player.

It will be in the hands of the players whether Kidderminster can prove successful, or like others in recent seasons, slide back to Division One.

The people off the field are also important, and Kidderminster has good support in this area.

Team manager John Barrett has taken a lot of the burden that can fall on a captain's shoulders, thus ensuring that he needs nothing to worry about other than playing the game.

Head coach Ross Edwards has worked at getting the players to be more focussed, and must have carried thousands of gallons of water to them during matches.

Another big "thank you" must go to the scorers, notably Lin McCoy, Sandra Barlow, and Stella Wood.

Both Barrett and Norman Broadfield have filled in at times. We must also remember those lads who operate the scoreboard.

Second XI

Skipper Matt Fludgate felt his team would win the Premier Division 2nd XIs title for the second year running.

But he was defeated by bad weather at the end of the season.

Nevertheless, to finish third was commendable. The 2nd XI has supplied some useful men for the 1st XI and there are possibly more to come.

Winning eight of their 22 games saw the team in top spot for a considerable time, but a combination of first team calls, injury and unavailability made life difficult.

Like the first XI they were high scorers, passing the 200 mark on 11 occasions. They also bowled the opposition out eight times.

The leading run scorers were Phil Shaw (436 including a century), Chris Pyke (422), Andy Morley (407), Sean Lloyd (279) Mark Venross (257) Andrew Siwicki (244), and Godfrey Lamb (212).

Paul Thomas was the leading wicket-taker with 28, followed by Kelvin Barrett who accounted for 27. Craig Siwicki took 11, and both Warren Irvine and David Bannister 10 each.

This was a good season that saw a desperately unlucky KVCC come up just short of what would have been a second fully-deserved title.