USK's very own three 'W's' helped close the gap on league leaders Sully and St Fagans on the weekend as they defeated Pentyrch by five wickets.
Heavy overnight rain meant that the match was reduced from 50 to 39 overs and Mike Kear won a crucial toss inserting Pentyrch on a wet drying wicket.
Glamorgan's Huw Waters bowled with great control conceding only nine runs off his eight overs, gaining Usk an early breakthrough with an unusual Iain Clayton stumping who was stood 10 yards stood back.
Fellow Glamorgan player Alex Wharf struggled against Jason Cook and decided to hit out at pitched up deliveries only to perish to Tom Robinson at Mid On.
He then took two more wickets including the experienced Tony Smith finishing with excellent figures of three for 14.
By now Pentyrch's batsmen realised that the best approach was nip and run and occasional bit hits. For the first time this year, Usk's spinners struggled as Malik top scored with 29 but the reintroduction of Waters broke a crucial partnership and then Pentyrch struggled to 104 for nine including a last over maiden from Tamplin.
In reply Usk's innings started disastrously with Mark Tamplin LBW first ball and Kunal Khanna caught at mid on.
Mike Jones soon followed leaving Usk 13 for three as did Oli James bowled around his legs by left arm spinner Tony Smith.
Following his match winning innings at Penarth last week Jez Wyatt dug in taking quick singles to an aging Pentyrch team, and alongside Iain Clayton who swept his way to a vital 31, looked to settle Usk's nerves. Clayton fell to a sweep and in strode Usk's third 'W' Owen Watkins, promoted due to his excellent form. Watkins upped the run rate with boundaries that so eluded Penarth (only three fours and one six) and slowly built a match winning partnership with Wyatt (29) who now showed his attacking style.
Watkins (39) hit Smith last ball for a huge six over square leg and appropriately finished the match with one more over long off. The win leaves Usk in third place in Division One.
| Pos | Team | P | Win | Bat | Bowl | Total | Ave |
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Captain Mike Kear enthused with his team's performance in a tense match where the toss was crucial said, "Usk once again showed their strength in depth with both bat and ball. This was another potential 'banana skin' in a jungle of predators looking to take Usk's scalp.
"We have closed the gap on St Fagans but need to keep winning very week if we are to have a chance of winning the league. Interestingly our final match is against Sully."
This Saturday Usk take on Miskin Manor, and on Sunday Usk will play in their new black one day clothing as they pick up the gauntlet laid down by the star studded line-up of Lashings.