USK 1st XI suffered an agonising three-run loss that cost them fifth place to west Wales South Wales Premier One visitors Ammanford on Saturday.

In a thrilling run chase, the hosts needed 46 off the last four overs with two wickets left to win, and four off the final ball after a last over run out, but fell just short.

Pakistan Test cricketer Imran Butt proved the Ammanford star, firing an unbeaten 128 off 148 balls as the visitors reached 244-6 off their 50 overs, former Qatar skipper Tamoor Zafar and Matthew Williams both taking wicket braces.

Usk lost Cameron Hemp for a duck in reply (1-1), but fellow opener Hugo Caldicott with 71 then shared a 132-run second-wicket partnership with Glamorgan's Billy Root, brother of England skipper Joe, with the latter going on to make 72 to take them to 178-3.

From that point though, runs proved harder to come by as wickets fell, with the hosts soon reduced to 197-7, including the departure of Zafar for 27.

John Newington-Bridges with 31 not out off 23 balls made a gallant effort to get them over the line, but Butt, having taken three wickets and then run out Matthew Williams for two just two balls earlier, bottled him up on the final ball, leaving Usk high and dry on 241-9 and condemning them to a fourth loss in a row.

And the 2nds also suffered a three-run loss away to Newport Fugitives 1sts, falling just short of the 197-9 45-over target.

Joe Peacock, Oliver Hall, Jamie Jones and Dan Cordell took wicket braces in the South East Wales 2 clash.

Jones with 64 backed by Peacock with 35 then left them needing nine off the final over.

But the former's dismissal to a catch first ball hit their hopes, and Usk could only reach 194-9.

The 3rds also suffered a reverse by 56 runs away to Great Western Railway Bridgend 1sts, who fired an imposing 283-5 off their 40 overs, including a 177-run second-wicket stand (180-2).

Oliver Holdcroft and Llewie Evans took two wickets apiece for the visitors before opener Julian Sanders came agonisingly close to a ton with 96.

But no one else could significantly trouble the scoreboard and the visitors were 227 all out in 38.1 overs.

Usk did prevail in a friendly against the MCC on Friday night though, restricting their prestigious visitors to 223-7 before reaching 225-6 with 3.3 overs to spare.

Tom Mason, Matthew Williams and Gethin Thomas took two wickets apiece and Cameron Hemp fired 61, John Newington-Bridges 57 and Matt Hancock 41.

Llanarth 1sts were also celebrating a seven-wicket SEW 5 win away to Lisvane 2nds on Saturday, thanks to a superb 154-run fourth-wicket stand between Chris Bridges, who fired 94 off 92 balls, and Sam Michell 57.

The hosts were earlier dismissed for 182 in 39.2 overs, Dan Moseley taking 3-35, Chris Page 2-28 and Dennis Heath 2-22.

Llanarth were reduced to 30-3 in reply, but the unbeaten partnership then took them to 184-3 with 6.1 overs to spare.

But the 2nds lost to Monmouth 2nds by 62 runs after the visitors cracked 294-2 off their 40 overs, Gareth Jones with 138 and Ian Morgan 84 not out sharing a 210-run second-wicket stand.

Gerry Stentiford fired 54 in reply, Archie Greenslade 50, Mark Batt an unbeaten 29 and Andrew Hilditch 22 as Llanarth reached 232-6.