PENTYRCH proved mightier as Usk CC 1st XI fell to an eight-wicket away loss on Saturday in South Wales Premier Two.

The visitors were made to bat first by the hosts and struggled from early on, opener Ollie Robson trapped lbw for eight (16-1), and new man Hugo Caldicott holing out for six (24-2).

Mika Ekstrom surrendered to a catch for a single (37-3), and Tamoor Zafar soon joined him, bowled for two (40-4), while opener Elliot Doyle holed out next over for 20 without another run being added (40-5). 

Matthew Williams and Matt Hancock then launched something of a revival, adding 40 for the sixth wicket before the former went to a catch for 17 (80-6. 

But the latter was gone within two overs, as Usk lurched to 83-7.

Jamie Jones and Freddie Wolfenden dug in to take them past the 100-mark, but the latter then went for 17 to the sixth catch (118-8).

Jones followed for 18 next over to the seventh catch of the innings (120-9), and it was all over next over, with last man Ben Jones bowled for four and Ryan Jones not out two as Usk were all out for 125 in 42 overs.  

Ben Jones bowled Sam Ewen for four (4-1) to give the visitors some hope, but it soon evaporated as Jamie Mills and Stuart Roberts added 99 for the second wicket when Oliver Robson caught the former for 72 off a jamie Jones ball (113-2).

Roberts carried his bat for 40 as Pentyrch eased to 126-2 in 31 overs to claim victory. 

Dave Harding-Smith and Sidharth Ramesh shared an 87-run second-wicket stand as Usk 2nds won by six wicets at home to Cardiff CC 3rds in Division 4.

The city side were dismissed for 159 in 39.5 overs with Neil Perrett taking three wickets.

And opener Harding-Smith with 65 and Ramesh with 39 guided them within sight of the target, with Will Hall-Tomkin guiding them to 163-4 in 29 overs with an unbeaten 21.

The 3rds also won by 22 runs away to Sully Spartans 2nds in Division 10, scoring 203 all out in 35 overs before dismissing the hosts for 181 in 37 overs.

Chepstow 1st XI bounced back from a nine-wicket loss at Usk the previous week with a hard-fought 31 run home win over Cowbridge in South Wales Premier Two.

Skipper wicket-keeper Gareth Ansell struck 71, including six fours, backed by Kameel Sahabdeen with an unbeaten 37, Scott Bailey with 29, Luke Watson 24 not out, and Harry Hughes 21, as the hosts reached 251-8 off their 50 overs.

Four wickets from Mitchell Harris and two from Jason Dobbie, with Ansell taking three catches, then helped dismiss the visitors for 220 at the start of the 47th over.

The 2nds enjoyed a 155-run win away to Radyr 3rds in SEW Five, Thomas Franklin cracking 115 backed by Malith Madurasinghe with 39, Oliver Thornhill 31, Tuhin Gavand 30 not out, and Benedict Tindall 25, as they set a huge target of 289-4 off their 45 overs.

And once Radyr’s two openers were dismissed for 22 and 23, Usk had victory firmly in their sights, Josh Tregaskes taking five wickets and Madurasinghe three, as the visitors were bowled out for 134 in 42.4 overs.

The 3rds made it a hat-trick of wins in a much closer affair, squeezing home by two wickets after dismissing Division 12E winners Abergavenny 4ths for 131 in 38 overs, taking 26 overs to reach 132-8.

But Llanarth 1st XI were skittled at home for just 67 by Division 5 leaders Sully Spartans, after making it to 43 with only the one wicket down.

The fall of Paul Gittins for 11 after the earlier departure of opener skipper Ollie Mann for the same score heralded a huge collapse.

John Newington-Bridges followed with no futher score, also for 11 (43-3), and three ducks and single figure scores of six or less then comprised the next seven wickts as the hosts were all out in the 29th over. 

Llanarth had some success with the ball, Glen Hamilton taking two wickets and Tom Llewelyn one, but Sully pretty much galloped to victory, reaching 68-3 in 13 overs.

A magnificent 102 off 92 balls, including 12 fours and three sixes, by Chris Page in a 165-run opening stand set the 2nds up for a six-wicket win away to Blackwood Town 3rds in Division 12E, however.

Henry King, Freddie Wharton and Will King took two wickets apiece to help restrict the hosts to 186-8 off their 40 overs.

And Page and fellow opener Nick White, who scored 55, took them within sight of the winning line, reached with 188-4 in the 31st over.

But Penallt & Redbrook lost out by 100 runs away to Highnam Court in Cheltenham/Gloucester/Forest One West, who cracked 210-5 off their 40 overs before dismissing the visitors for 110 in the 35th over, Chris Margetts top-scoring with 20. 

The margin of defeat was nothing compared to that inflicted on Ross-on-Wye CC by derby visitors Goodrich in Marches One though. 

Harry Porter hit a superb 229 not out as the village outfit piled up a huge 451-2 off 45 overs to secure a 297-run win.

There was no sign of what was to come when Phil Davies ran out opener Sean Weller for one, but new man Porter and Sam Griffiths then ran amok, the latter firing 100 before being run out by Chloe Tingle before Andrew Brown also weighed in with an unbeaten 72.

Facing such a mountainous target Ross were never in the hunt, but did well to battle to 154 all out in 36.4 overs, Paul Franklin scoring 39 and Alexander Springer 37.