A DISAPPOINTING Saturday for Usk, on which both the
first and second XIs lost to their respective counterparts
from Pentyrch, was slightly tempered by a friendly
victory on Sunday at home to Bristol.
At the Athletic Club Ground, Usk's first XI lost
narrowly to Pentyrch, after succumbing by two wickets
in the final over.
Despite the visitors inserting Usk on a slow
wicket, the hosts started brightly enough with Ian
Clayton and Ollie James putting on 52 for the first
wicket.
Although Clayton, departed for 20, Neil Perrett
was introduced and he and James took the score to 130
in the 39th over. James then fell for 67, which had
included six fours and a six.
With eight wickets in hand and 11 overs still to
bat, Usk had the ideal platform from which to launch
their assault.
Unfortunately wickets fell at regular intervals;
Perrett fell for 39 and Owen Watkins smashed a quick
23.
Usk's last six wickets fell for as many runs as they
finished on 184 all out from the final delivery. For
Pentyrch Grossett was the pick of the bowlers with
figures of 10-1-38-4.
Usk's defence of this small total got off to a
decent start as they took early wickets; Pentyrch quickly
finding themselves 34-4 in the eighth over.
Watkins devastated the top order with his swing
bowling. However, the visitors began to rebuild and did
not lose another wicket until their score reached 92.
Another mini-collapse ensued though and Usk
looked strong favourites when they reduced Pentyrch to
124-7.
With 60 required from the final 15 overs, run rate
was never going to be the issue for Pentyrch, just
wickets remaining, as they edged towards their target.
With 13 needed, Usk picked up their eighth wicket
to put the match back in the balance, but it was not to
be.
Going into the final over Pentyrch wanted just two
runs for victory, which was sealed with a four from the
first delivery.
This was fittingly struck by Arif, whose 59 not out
had held Pentyrch's effort together. For Usk, Watkins
finished with the excellent figures of 10-1-28-4, and
Tom Lee 8-1-26-2.
Meanwhile in Pentyrch a depleted Usk second XI
lost by six wickets.
Losing the toss on a damp wicket, Usk were
inserted and got off to the worst possible start, finding
themselves at 7-2 from the first seven overs.
It was from this unpromising beginning that Mike
Kear and Richie Morris took the game to their hosts.
The third wicket realised 72 runs before Morris
was dismissed for a stylish 44, which included six fours
and a six.
With no other batsmen managing to reach double
figures on a volatile surface, Kear held the innings
together with a tenacious 89.
Batting at No three, Kear's stay at the crease
began in the second over, before he was dismissed in
the 49th.
His innings included nine fours and three sixes,
and helped Usk to see out 50 overs for only the second
time this season. Usk finished on 180-9, giving them
three valuable batting points.
Pentyrch got off to a terrific start in pursuit of
their target, with openers Malik (81*) and Tanner (43)
putting on 106 for the first wicket.
Usk then picked up another quick wicket, with a
direct hit from Phil Stevens, and started to believe
again.
Although the visitors picked up another two
wickets before the close, neither of these included that
of Malik, whose unbeaten 81 saw Pentrych home in the
41st over.
AFTER double defeat on Saturday, Usk did at least
taste victory on Sunday in a friendly at home to Bristol,
beating their visitors by five wickets.
Bristol won the toss and chose to bat. Whilst the
openers were putting on 55 for the first wicket, things
looked ominous for the hosts.
However, the introduction of spinners Tony Kear
and Mike Jones halted the Bristol effort as they both
picked up wickets.
The visitors collapsed to 93-4. With no other
partnership really taking off, Bristol were dismissed for
188 in the 39th over, largely thanks to Dale's 54
holding things together.
For Usk all the bowlers chipped in, with Jack
Stedman's 5-2-12-2 the outstanding figures.
Usk's reply got off to a fine start with Ian Clayton
and Ahmed Bapusha putting on 45 for the first wicket.
The hosts then suffered the loss of a couple more
wickets to be in the precarious position of 79-3 in the
23rd over.
At this stage Ollie James joined Mike Jones at the
crease and the pair never looked back.
A stand of 90 ensued, taking Usk to the brink of
victory before Jones fell for a well-constructed 59,
which included 10 fours.
Another Usk wicket when the scores were level
added a bit of respectability to Bristol's fielding effort,
before James stroked the winning boundary.
James, who had a fine weekend with the bat,
finished with an unbeaten 60, which included six fours.
ABERGAVENNY retained their position at the top of
the South Wales League following a comprehensive 131
run victory away to Pontypridd.
This result was far from their thoughts when 22-3
became 59-4 with the leading batsman all back in the
pavilion.
The previous weekend had seen both Greg Fury
and Marc Evans out for ducks on Friday in the Macey
and in Saturday's match against the Newport Fugitives.
However, after a net session on Sunday morning,
they both scored tons against Tredegar in the
afternoon and this improvement continued on Saturday.
After a careful start they gradually increased the
tempo. Fury, who had scored two runs off his first 15
balls, was finally out, caught at square leg as he went
for the four which would have brought up his 100 off
75 balls. By then the pair had added 129 runs and
transformed the game.
Assisted by smart running from Nathan Byrne,17
not out, Evans reached his ton in the final over and the
total of 282-8 in the alloted overs.
Pontypridd lost a wicket in the second over and
wickets fell at regular intervals with the bowlers being
reinforced by some excellent catching.
Only Damian Larette looked untroubled until he
was run out by a swift throw by Andrew Jones.
The wickets were shared between Denning,
Morgan and Robinson (two each), and Byrne, Windross
and A.Fury (one each).
Next Saturday Barry Town will take the trip to
Avenue Road.