KIDDERMINSTER Victoria coach Ross Edwards has declared that the club are happy with the first half of the season -- despite last weekend's surprise defeat at struggling Wellington.

The Chester Road men will bid to bounce back when they travel to Old Hill for an eagerly-awaited fixture at 1pm on Saturday.

But Edwards insists the players can be proud of their performances so far this term.

"If anybody would have said to us at the start of the season that we'd have 120 points at halway stage we'd have been very pleased," he said.

"Overall across the 11 games we've had a very good start, especially when you consider that we've just been promoted and we've had two key players, Josh Knappett and Will Gifford, missing for a big part of it."

KVCC contrived to bring their impressive recent run to an end by tossing away any chance of victory at Wellington last Saturday.

Skipper Jonathan Wright won the toss but soon rued his decision to bat on a wicket which lacked pace and bounce as KVCC were all out for 120.

After a promising return to the team in last weekend's win over Coventry and North Warwick, Knappett was bowled for one.

With Wright's own short spell at the crease ending moments earlier to a ball that hardly got off the ground, KVCC were struggling at 18-2.

The next pair at the wicket, Gifford and Craig Wood, showed great patience to restore their team's confidence and put on 64.

But Gifford was bowled by Mark Robinson for 36, including five fours and two sixes from 72 balls, while Wood fell to the bowling of Adam Byram for 27, after hitting two fours and a six from 79 balls.

Robinson then swept his way through most of the KVCC batting ending with figures of 5-33, sweet revenge for being struck for two sixes by Gifford in his first over.

In his next six overs the Shropshire spinner only conceded 10 runs with Andy Siwicki (4), Nigel Davenport (0), Sean Lloyd (0) and Ted Baylis (2) all falling to catches off Robinson's bowling.

KVCC had gone from 82-2 to 89-8 in 32 minutes.

Vishal Bhatia came in and steadied the ship, handling the bowling well and scoring 23 before being stumped by Davidson off Adam Byram's bowling.

His partner, Phil Shaw, had also been patient, making nine not out off 39 balls, but the innings ended when Jonathan Miles was bowled first ball by Byram.

Having failed to use up all of their overs KVCC were always going to struggle with Wellington's reply - and so it proved as the hosts eased to 123-4 in 47.4 overs.

Baylis trapped Lamb (0) leg before wicket with Wood catching both Martin (26) and Adam Byram (9) off Wright's bowling, while Hancock retired injured and Gavin Byram was caught by Siwicki (30) off Bhatia's bowling.

It was left to Downes (20 not out) and Sultan (13) to secure victory for the home side as Wellington cruised to the total aided by the 25 extras, 11 byes and 14 leg byes, wastefully conceded by KVCC.

Bhatia bowled well taking 1-18 from his 13 overs, as did Wright who took 2-25 also from 13 overs. Baylis had 1-29.

The defeat drops KVCC down three Premier Division places to seventh ahead of Saturday's trip to Old Hill where skipper Wright and Davenport will be up against their former team.

KVCC seconds took 24 points from their 111-run win over Halesowen last weekend with Glen Holland taking seven wickets and first-team wicketkeeper Tom Sheriff hitting a well-constructed half century.

Mark Mansell returns after suffering a bruised finger while Craig Siwicki is also back in the team after a stag weekend.

Teenage off-spinner Matt Brace is also continuing to show promise for the seconds.