A SHORTAGE of players failed to deter Kidderminster as their young side claimed a winning draw at fellow mid-tablers Leamington in Birmingham League Division One.

Sean Lloyd's men, who gave first-team debuts to Adam Griffiths and Phil Shaw along with a late call-up for veteran Colin Bullingham, deserved to win a close game.

Leamington were undefeated at home but KCC nearly pulled off a shock success after winning the toss and opting to bat on a green wicket.

Openers Mark Mansell and Steve Davies made steady progress and reached 117 runs by the time Davies was bowled for a well-earned 46.

Mandeep Singh made only eight but things were going well with Mansell and Richard Bradford until the new batsman left his veteran partner stranded.

However, Mansell had reached a creditable 101 when he was run out in the 48th over with the score on 168-3.

Bradford was next out for 15 and Ted Baylis went for a duck but Craig Wood and Chris Pyke then gave a display of how to run quick singles.

Their partnership was worth 25 when the overs ran out with Wood making 27 not out and Pyke 12 not out.

Leamington normally have a strong batting line-up but were reduced to 32-2 by the 11th over thanks to Baylis who claimed a caught and bowled then a catch behind the stumps for Davies.

With a shortage of bowling, Lloyd called on Pyke and the young player certainly won his spurs.

He took 5-48 off 19 overs with three catches for Singh, a brilliant Davies stumping and the only lbw decision in the match.

Baylis claimed 2-63 in a good team display which left Leamington on 177-7 though Pyke must take a lot of credit for putting KCC close to a win.

He must surely keep his place at home to Worcester on Saturday and it would not be out of order to retain the same 11.

KCC 220-5, Leamington 177-7.

Saturday's game at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth fell foul of the wet weather after only 30 minutes of play.

The fixture has often been dogged by bad conditions and despite starting in sunshine, the visitors could only reach 19-1 in 7.3 overs.

KCC, who won the toss yet again, claimed the one wicket through Pyke's catch off the bowling of Baylis.

WB Dartmouth 19-1.

Veteran Godfrey Lamb was in excellent form for the seconds.

Lamb contributed 72 not out and Gavin Evans 58 as they totalled 225-4 at Walsall on Saturday.

But the home side took the majority of the Birmingham League Second XI Premier Division points with a seven-wicket win.

KCC 2nds 225-4, Walsall 226-3.

Lamb (57 not out) hit another half-century on Monday in a winning draw against Coventry and NW.

His team-mates were in the mood for runs too, especially P Mitchell (54) and Andrew Siwicki (50 not out).

KCC 2nds 255-4, Coventry & NW 236-6.

KCC thirds slipped to a 101-run Worcestershire Saturday League Division Six defeat after a weather-hit contest at Vine in Worcester.

Bowling first, they started well and restricted their hosts to 76-2 from 26 overs before the rain intervened.

Overs were lost and the home team progressed rapidly to 163-5 in 38 overs at the end of their innings.

On a wet pitch with unpredictable bounce, the KCC batsmen struggled against hostile bowling and were dismissed for 62.

They now have a crucial bottom-of-the-table clash at Hallow on Saturday.

Vine 163-5, KCC 3rds 62.