FOLLOWING a largely successful opening fixture against Gloucester Academy last week, Abergavenny were dealt a harsh lesson by visitors Malpas on Saturday.

The margin of defeat, a 10 wicket mauling, should act as a major wake up call to all first team squad members, and highlights the need for midweek training.

The day started well for the Beavers when skipper Steve Brown won the toss and immediately batted first on another good wicket.

Brown lost his opening partner, Greg Fury, early on but found a useful adversary in Mark Evans, before Brown was caught on the third man boundary for 26.

Evans (29) and Craig Barnsley (24) pushed the score past 50 and a useful Aber total lookedvery much on the cards..

However, a mid innings halt was brought about by Malpas' Mike Heames, where Aber only scored 23 runs in 11 overs.

Dai Windross top scored for Aber with 40 including three lusty six's towards the end of the innings, however, the Aber total of 167 was never going to be enough.

Malpas openers Marc Collins and Mick Martin dealt with the imposing threat of Jon Denning very well, but unfortunately for Aber, the change bowlers were unable to maintain Dennings early pressure.

The exception being Gavin Heritage who made welcome return to form for the Beavers which augers well for the league campaign.

Collins was particularly fierce on anything too straight and scored a very high percentage of his runs through the leg side.

Ironically he brought up his hundred with a straight six off Neil Skelton, and with only a handful of runs required for victory following that, Malpas cruised to an emphatic 10 wicket win with seven overs to spare.

Abergavenny First XI travel to Tondu for their first league game next week and will be looking to banish this result to the annals of history as soon as possible.

USK CC

IT was a double header of success for Usk on the weekend, as the club hosted Panteg on Saturday and Chepstow on Sunday, and ran out winners on both occasions.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Athletic Club Ground, Usk's new skipper Tom Robinson won the toss and decided to bat first.

On a typical early season pitch, both sides found runs hard to score on a slow surface.

Usk started their innings and we're immediately handicapped as Richie Morris had to retire injured.

Oli James (31) dropped anchor and just past the halfway stage of their innings Usk found themselves on 62-2 after 23 overs.

However, Usk failed to launch from this platform and collapsed to 107-8 with only five overs to go.

Critically, last wicket pair Tom Lee and Mike Reid shared an unbeaten last wicket partnership of 31 to at least enable Usk to gain respectability and set a target.

Chasing 139 for victory Panteg also found that scoring runs was far from easy.

With Usk's opening attack of Robinson and Huw Waters producing miserly spells, Panteg laboured to 11-0 from their first nine overs.

It was from this point that the visitors began to settle down and take control. With their top order all batting solidly they found themselves on 92-3.

With 10 overs left, and only 47 runs required, Usk were staring down the barrel. However a solitary over later and the match had been turned on its head.

In the 31st over James picked up two wickets, and with a panicking Panteg also running one of their men out, Usk scented an unlikely victory.

With Usk's bowlers keeping things tight and Panteg having few wickets in hand, the required run rate escalated and Panteg lost their final wicket in the penultimate over - 23 runs short of their target.

All of Usk's bowlers performed well with James capping a fine all-round display with figures of 6-1-19-4.

On Sunday Chepstow batted first and struggled against some probing Usk bowling.

Chepstow regularly lost wickets and found themselves in the precarious position of 94-5 after 27 overs.

Sanjay had been the pick of Usk's bowlers with figures of 5-1-11-2. However, a late rally by the visitors mean that they managed to set Usk a target of 179 from their 40 overs.

After losing two early wickets, Ian Clayton (78*) and Oli James (58*), who was having a good weekend, steadied things and Usk looked set for an easy victory when the duo took the score to 124-2 from 25 overs.

With a mere 55 required for victory from 15 overs, and mindful of giving others useful time at the crease, Clayton and James both retired to help make a game of it, which is exactly what happened.

The hosts regularly lost wickets and it was left to the last wicket pair of Mike Kear and Julian Smith to steer them home in the penultimate over.

MONKSWOOD CC

THERE are some long memories at Monkswood Cricket Club but no one can recall them beating local rivals Usk at senior level.

In the end Monkswood beat the Usk team convincingly in a recent match. Admittedly it was not the strongest team that Usk could have put out, but nevertheless Monkswood did the business.

Batting first Usk started well with class batsman Oliver James driving convincingly on a benign batting track.

The bowling was accurate and Tim Probert picked up two early wickets. Oliver James looked in no trouble until Gareth Trumper took his off stump out of the ground.

Usk then struggled against the Monkswood bowlers with Shane Kalter and Mike Watkins both taking two wickets a piece, with Matt Malson also bowling well. Usk finished on 150.

Monkswood started solidly with Glyn Roberts and Shane Kalter.

When two wickets fell in quick succession Richard Brock came to the crease.

Brock soon found his timing and the ball disappeared regularly over the boundary, however when he was out to a fine catch on the boundary's edge the game was still in the balance.

It fell to Mike Watkins and Gareth Trumper to see Monks home to a well-deserved victory with eleven balls to spare.

Monkswood currently runs three senior teams playing on Saturdays throughout the summer as well as youth teams at under 11, 13 and 15. New members of whatever ability, age or sex are welcome. Phone Glyn on 01633400256 for more information.