SEVENTY four not out from Glamorgan star Billy Root helped Usk CC 1st XI to a 94-run South Wales Premier One home victory over Newport CC on Saturday.

Opener Hugo Caldicott kept up his impressive start to the season with 50, while third man Ollie Rayner fired 52 as they shared a 73-run second-wicket partnership.

Root then joined Rayner to add another 42 (123-3) before the latter holed out.

And the arrival of Harawal Ahmed Wassam saw the pace pick up with an 82-run fourth-wicket stand, the new man blasting 47 off 37 balls, including two sixes and three fours, before being caught (205-5).

Former Qatar skipper Tamoor Zafar also added 25 in a 52-run sixth-wicket partnership with Root, as the Glamorgan man finished unbeaten, with Usk reaching 285-6 off their 50 overs.

A 106-run third-wicket stand saw Newport reach 140-2 before the dismissal of Campbell Macmillan for 37, caught Rayner, bowled Matthew Marriott.

And the exit of opener Michael Clayden for 81, lbw to Rayner (167-6), put Usk in the driving seat, with none of the last seven batters reaching double figures, as the city outfit were all out for 191 in the final over.

Matthew Williams took 3-20-6.3, Rayner 3-28-10 and Marriott 2-26-6 to lift Usk above Newport to second.

Usk 2nds won by 119 runs after setting 251-9 away to Machen 1sts, John Newington-Bridges firing 53, Matt Hancock 45, Pat Rodden 33 and Sidharth Ramesh 25.

The visiting attack then steamrollered through the hosts’ batting. dismissing them for 132 in 26 overs, Newington-Bridges taking 3-25-7, and Rodden and Ryan Price two apiece.

The cricket boot was on the other foot for the 3rds though, who lost by nine wickets at home to Blaengarw & Coedely 1sts, who reached 152-1 in 31 overs in reply to 151 all out in 34 overs.

Arvind Aswani scored 33 and Ryan Hancock 25 not out, with the latter also taking Usk’s only wicket.

Llanarth 1sts fell to a 72-run SEW 5 defeat in the Vale of Glamorgan against Dinas Powys after being set 197-7 off 45 overs, Hilal Ahmad taking four wickets and Humphrey Myrddin Evans two.

Will Heath then scored 58, but with only Felix Squirrel with 13 also reaching double figures, the villagers were all out for 124 in 31.3 overs.

The 2nds won by 65 runs at home to Monkswood & Panteg 3rds though after setting a sizeable 258-3 off 40 overs, Adam Binmore firing an unbeaten 74, backed by Nick White with 57 and Dave Myatt 64 who put on 126 for the first wicket, and David Griffiths with 35 not out.

Llanarth's attack then kept the visitors' batters on a tight leash, restricting them to 193-7, with Andrew Hilditch and C Isaacs taking wicket braces.

Elsewhere, Glangrwyney skipper Michael Devoy fired 12 fours in an unbeaten 74 to help his team to an eight-wicket win at home to Barry Wanderers 1sts.

Glan dismissed the visitors for 133 in 33 overs, Vic Phillips taking three wickets, and Devoy, Jack Tod and James Buckhurst two apiece, before reaching 166-2 with eight overs left.

The 2nds went one better with a 10-wicket win away to Malpas 4ths, scoring 123 without loss in 22.5 overs after bowling out the hosts for 122 in the final over.