THE Kidderminster Victoria batting collapsed for a second weekend in a row as they crashed to a big 105-run defeat at Birmingham League Division One county rivals Worcester.

Winning the toss and electing to field in tropical conditions left KVCC seemingly tired when it came to batting and they were dismissed for just 187.

But if the Wyre Forest side had batted first, they would have needed a large score to get away with an indifferent bowling and fielding display which helped Worcester to 292-7 from 55 overs.

The city side lost two players to a bug on Saturday morning and then skipper Guy Muspratt was also taken ill but they still had little difficulty in beating their Kidderminster opposition.

A slow wicket did not help KVCC and a tricky outfield made the path of the ball uncertain but these problems did not hamper Worcester.

The home side were reduced to 32-2 though as Mark Harrity (2-54) claimed the wickets of openers Adam Binks and Andy Mason.

A good partnership between Murray Ranger and Iain McLaren produced 88 runs in 18 overs before Mark Mansell (2-68) bowled the former for 35.

Chester Road old boy Mitchell Fowles joined in the run avalanche to score 35 before Mansell struck again with the score on 216-4.

At the other end, McLaren was almost treating the KVCC bowlers with contempt in a terrific innings of 140 not out in 163 minutes, including 20 fours and three sixes.

Vic Lawes (2-46) claimed the wickets of Richard Franklin and Mark Chambers, while Phil Jones was run out.

KVCC were faced with a huge task and recent form suggested they would not be able to meet the challenge.

By the 23rd over, they were stranded on 69-5 with opener Mansell (6) bowled, Lawes (1) out to a poor leg before decision and on-song Craig Wood (5) also dismissed.

But the trusty Jonathan Wright kept up his top run-scorer billing in the division with 45 runs before he was caught by Fowles off Jones's bowling.

The experienced opener now has 249 runs to his credit and again proved to be the backbone of a weak KVCC reply.

Ted Baylis fell to another controversial lbw decision for 3 but Aussie Chris Jones rediscovered some form by performing well for 48 runs until he was caught out.

Sean Lloyd also added a good 33 but he was James Wagstaffe's fourth victim, leaving the visitors looking uncomfortable at 150-7.

Chris Pyke batted patiently for 10 runs but Wagstaffe (6-82) struck again and Robert Bratt fell for a duck though wicket-keeper Duncan Willetts added 16. Harrity was left on 7 not out.

KVCC and Aston Unity remain anchored at the bottom so clear thinking and hard talking is required at Chester Road if they are to get out of what is becoming a deep hole.

Worcester 292-7, KVCC 187.

Godfrey Lamb top scored with 49 runs as KVCC seconds claimed 13 points from a winning draw against Walsall in the Birmingham League Premier Division.

Gavin Evans (43), Phil Shaw (37) and Joe Hill (36) added other good contributions to their impressive 246-9.

In reply, KVCC could not quite finish off the job as Walsall held on at 187-7 despite Hill's 3-38 and Kelvin Barrett's 3-54.

KVCC 2nds 246-9, Walsall 187-7.

In the Worcestershire Sunday League, Lawes crashed 91 runs against Droitwich with Jones (50) and Andy Siwicki (29) also looking good.

Droitwich responded to the 251-6 total by finishing on 233-7 with A Singh taking 2-43.

KVCC 251-6, Droitwich 233-7.