KIDDERMINSTER Victoria had a comfortable victory at Shrewsbury, eventually winning by five wickets.

But it wasn't all plain sailing and they needed some strong bowling and an outstanding innings by Pete Stevens to secure the win.

Shrewsbury won the toss and decided to bat first on a sunny day.

They never broke free from some accurate bowling, with Jonathan Miles and Ted Baylis proving particularly effective, taking 4-33 in 15 overs, and 2-25 in 12 overs respectively.

Shrewsbury lost wickets steadily, and were 60-6 after 25 overs.

As the opening bowlers tired, a middle-order stand provided resistance but, after a run-out, the rest of the batting subsided to the spin attack of Bhatia, Mansell and Davenport, the innings closing at 141.

What appeared to be an undemanding target proved difficult to attain.

Losing early wickets meant that, after 20 minutes, the score stood at 10-3.

To the rescue came skipper Jonathan Wright and Stevens, who rebuilt the innings in a typically positive fashion, so that by the time Wright was lbw for 31, the score was 63 at a rate of nearly five an over.

Nigel Davenport batted well for 17 to keep the momentum going before being caught with the total at 106.

Baylis, with 11 not out, shared in reaching the required target but Stevens was the real hero of the hour with 76 not out from 82 balls, which included two sixes and eight fours.

In the 32nd over, an important victory was complete, one which moves the side up to sixth place in the Premier League table.