FIFTY from Hugo Caldicott and three wickets from Freddie Wolfenden helped Usk CC 1st XI claim top spot in South Wales Premier Two with a 22-run win at home to Carmarthen Wanderers on Saturday.

The hosts set a target of 197-7 off their 50 overs, Matt Williams and Wolfenden also scoring 23 apiece, the former unbeaten.

And they then restricted Wanderers to 175-8, Richard Rees taking two of the wickets, and Mika Ekstrom, Henry Woolf and Tamoor Zafar one apiece.

The 2nds struggled chasing 209-8 off 40 overs away to Barry Athletic 2nds in South East Wales 4, all out for 151 off 34 overs.

Neil Perrett took three wickets for the visitors, and Jamie Jones and Joe Peacock two apiece, before Sidharth Ramesh top-scored with 56, backed by Jarrod Bluck with 26.

Damian Harvey just missed out on an incredible ton scoring an unbeaten 96 off just 26 balls in reply for Usk 3rds at home to Pontymister & Crosskeys in SEW 10.

Chasing down a respectable 201-7 off 40 overs, his whirlwind innings included an incredible nine sixes and 10 fours, as Usk raced to 203-2 off 27.4 overs for an eight-wicket win.

Dan Cordell and Pat Rodden took wicket braces for the hosts, while Arvind Aswani also carried his bat for 52, backed by Gethin Thomas with 32.

In the Macey Cup 20-over match on Monday evening, Usk lost by 22 runs at home to Newport CC after being set a target of 154-6, with Mika Ekstrom taking 3-16 off his four overs.

In reply, Hugo Caldicott scored 36 and Ekstrom 32, but they were all out for 132 with four balls to play.

Chepstow 1st XI lost out by 72 runs at home to Penarth in SW Premier 2, all out for 156 in the 40th over after being set a target of 228-9 off 50 overs. Sam Hope-Bell with four wickets and Jason Dobbie with three starred with the ball for the hosts, before the former struck 56 and his brother Ben 48, but only one other batsman could reach double figures.

The 2nds won by seven wickets away to Hopkinstown 1sts in SEW 5 after dismissing the hosts for 165 in the 38th over.

Ben Pilot took four wickets and Malith Madurasinghe and Cameron Rees two apiece before the visitors raced to 165-3 in 33 overs, Chris Archer cracking 59 off 43 balls, including 11 fours and a six, backed by Tuhin Gavand with 39 not out and Jamie Rayner with an unbeaten 25.

The 3rds skittled Crumlin 2nds for just 74 in 28.1 overs in SEW 12E, and needed just 7.5 overs to reach 75-2 in reply. Chepstow held eight catches, with Bruno Chitnis and Harry Harkins taking two wickets apiece, and Ricky Sahabdeen then clattered 48 off 23 balls, including eight fours and two sixes as the visitors eased to an eight-wicket win.

The 4ths won a tight battle by two wickets at home to Frenchay 6ths in a friendly, as they scored 139-8 in 31 overs in reply to the visitors 137 all out in 34 overs. Ferlyn Murdoch bagged a five-wicket haul backed by Scott Williams with four before Lewis Bedford hit 41 and skipper Tom Absalom 26.

Llanarth 1st XI lost by six wickets in a high-scoring SEW 5 game at home to Ponthir, with more than 500 runs between the sides.

The hosts thought 265-5 off 45 overs might be enough, skipper opener Ollie Mann cracking a brilliant 107, including 16 fours and two sixes, backed by Paul Gittins with an 87 that included 11 fours and three sixes.

But the visitors reached 267-4 in the 40th over, Jac Hardman hitting an unbeaten 81 off 55 balls.

Penallt & Redbrook fell just 13 runs short of chasing down Corse & Staunton 3rds’ 214-6 off 40 overs, reaching 201-9 in reply.

Myles Ruck and Dai Richards took two wickets apiece for the hosts, while Cameron Lee top-scored with 60, backed by Liam Hurcombe with 48 and Richards with 30.