A SUPERB batting display by Worcestershire duo Matt Pardoe and Neil Pinner produced a second wicket stand of 232 runs in Kidderminster Victoria’s Birmingham League Premier Division clash at Moseley.

However, a stubborn rearguard defence by Moseley’s number 11 batsman prevented the Kidderminster side from recording a second win of the season.

KVCC lost the toss so had to bat first and the opening pair of Craig Wood and Pardoe was separated in the fifth over when Wood was bowled by Freddie Eburah for 10.

County colleagues Pinner and Pardoe then started on building a wonderful innings. The running between the wickets was brilliant, with a fast outfield helping many balls to the boundary.

The score stood at 249 in the 50th over when the partnership was ended when Pinner, on 120, was caught by Tom Watts off the bowling of Abdul Hafeez. He had struck 11 fours and two sixes.

Pardoe departed in the following over. With 105 to his name, he was caught by Addan Din off Awan, having hit eight fours and three sixes.

With the scoreboard reading 249-2 with only five overs remaining, some action was called for and it came from skipper Jonathan Wright.

Wright took a look at his first ball from Awan and then hit the next two for six. He hit a third six off Watts, but the bowler had his revenge by trapping Wright leg before for 20. Andy Kimberlin, Marc Edwards and 16-year-old Zac Turley combined to push the KVCC total to 301-5 off their 55 overs.

The Moseley innings started disastrously with the loss of three wickets for only 15 runs.

First out was Alex Stanley, lbw to Richard Kimberlin for one. The other opener, Huw Jones, was out to a brilliant catch by Edwards at gulley for a duck off Gareth Williams. Another good catch by Mark Mansell removed Usman Shabir to give Kimberlin his second wicket.

Another two wickets fell, before Warwickshire batsman Laurie Evans and Jason Robinson (18) put on 51.

More wickets fell and all to Wright (4-28). Another good catch by Mansell at slip, had Awan out for a duck, Watts was bowled for four then Richard Gordon was trapped leg before.

It looked as if KVCC had the game tied up, but number 11 Eburah had other ideas. Evans was scoring well and Eburah played the anchor role brilliantly.

The partnership added only 59 runs in the last 17 overs, but it saved the day for their team as Evans finished on 109, but the real hero was Eburah.