CHEPSTOW CC put the disappointment of losing their Macey Cup tie the previous evening behind them to beat Usk and move up to fourth place in the table.
Having lost to Croesyceiliog 15 hours earlier, a more recognisable First XI was on show at Mathern Road.
The cup defeat saw a mixed team of Firsts and Seconds players fall for 109 all out in 20 overs – well short of the visitors’ 146-run total.
But when it came to the league match against Usk, it was a different matter. Both teams were struggling at the bottom of the table but Chepstow eased away from danger on a day that saw a number of matches cancelled due to the weather.
As dark clouds threatened rain, Chepstow skipper Jason Dobbie won the toss and asked Usk to bat first and soon after the game started, he was congratulating bowler Rizan Mansoor (1-18) for removing Usk openers Paul Murphy without scoring,
At the other end, Luke Watson (1-38) worked hard to keep the Usk batsmen pairing on their toes but had to wait until opener Owen Watkins (32) and James Norman (52) had staged a comeback before clean bowling Watkins.
Norman eventually fell to a catch off Dobbie’s bowling and although visiting captain Neil Perrett (14) resisted he became Malith Madurasinghe’s first victim, caught behind by wicketkeeper Ricky Sahabdeen.
Usk lost two more wickets cheaply before their wicketkeeper Dougie Spencer (28) and Richard Rees (24 not out) combined to push their total to 177-9.
Dobbie was Chepstow’s main wicket taker with 3-43 with one maiden in his 10-over spell while Madurasinghe (2-30) took important wickets in the middle order.
Chepstow’s reply stuttered twice as Jamie Rayner and Mitchell Harris departed for single-figure scores but that brought in Dave Bennett to accompany opener Carwyn James and the pair set about the bowlers, James hitting four sixes and seven boundaries in his 64 total with Bennett weighing in with some big hitting to force the fielders back.
Bennett hit one boundary and two maximums in his 36-run contribution and when he departed, caught by Jamie Norman off the tight bowling of Pat Rodden (3-51), the tempo slowed.
Home skipper Dobbie (15 not out), Tyler Morgan-Huggett (12) and Madurasinghe (13 not out) saw Chepstow clinch the victory with 14 overs remaining – just before the inevitable rain arrived.
“It was a good toss to win,” Madurasinghe said later.
“We would have liked to restrict Usk for a few less than 177 in bowler-friendly conditions but we couldn’t break a couple of partnerships.
“We had a good start to our innings with Carwyn and Dave which laid the foundations for the run chase before the rain.
“It was another good weekend for the club with all three teams winning and we look forward to facing Pentyrch at home this Saturday.”