USK 1sts squeezed home by a single wicket on Saturday to leapfrog hosts Bridgend Town to third in South Wales Premier One.

A low-scoring match saw just 249 runs scored for the loss of 19 wickets, but crucially the visitors still had one intact when they reached the target with 11 balls to spare.

Ben Jones and Glamorgan's Billy Root, brother of England star Joe, took two early wickets each, with Ollie Rayner removing three of the lower order, backed by single strikes for Sam Crisp, Matthew Marriott and Tamoor Zafar.

Eight of the wickets were catches, wicketkeeper Iwan Jones clutching three, with Bridgend all out for 123.

Usk also struggled with the bat, limping to 56-5, but seventh man Jones played the crucial innings, scoring 33, as they reached 126-9 to claim victory.

Paul Murphy starred with five wickets as the 2nds had things easier beating Barry Athletic 1sts by six wickets at home in South East Wales 3.

Barry were all out for 145 in the 39th over, with Oliver Hall and John Newington-Bridges chipping in with two wickets apiece and Ryan Price taking two catches.

The hosts then reached 146-4 with 10 overs to spare, opener Arvind Aswani scoring 32, Sidharth Ramesh 29, Jamie Jones 25 and Newington-Bridges 23 not out.

But the 3rds were on the end of an agonising one-wicket last-over loss away to Radyr 4ths in SEW 9.

Usk were 141 all out last ball, Dave Harding-Smith out on his own with 66, supported in a 67-run third wicket stand by Neil Perrett with 18.

But Radyr squeezed to 142-9 with a ball to spare, Harding-Smith taking three of the wickets and Perrett two.

Usk’s midweek team also just missed out by four runs at home to Newport Tigers in the Big Smash League, Ollie Rayner and Alfie Rayner taking two wickets each in the hosts’ 144-6 off 18 overs, before the visitors fell just short on 140-7, Ryan Jones firing 52 and Herbie Bone 27.

Elsewhere at the weekend, Llanarth 1sts triumphed by nine wickets at home to Hopkinstown 1sts, skittling the visitors for 93 in 27 overs before reaching 97-1 with 23 overs to spare.

Tom Heath and Dan Moseley took three wickets apiece and Tom Llewelyn two in the SEW 5 match before skipper Ollie Mann fired an unbeaten 50 backed by Paul Gittins with 21 not out.

The 2nds also won by eight wickets away to Radyr 5ths, dismissing the hosts for 103 in 26 overs, with Joshua Scoular taking four wickets and Mark Batt two, before reaching 104-2 in 17 overs, Andrew Spencer firing 37 and Chris Page 31 in unbeaten knocks.

Glangrwyney 1sts were five-wicket winners as well away to Rogerstone 2nds, Michael Devoy taking four wickets and Vic Phillips and William Buckhurst two apiece as the hosts were restricted to 179-9 in 40 overs.

Glan then reached 180-5 with two overs to spare, Devoy top-scoring with 40 backed by fellow opener Mark Waldeck with an unbeaten 34, Nick Jones 28, Tom Devoy 24 and Nathan Holley 21.

The 2nds missed out by 45 runs at home to Barry Wanderers 2nds though, restricted to 175-7 chasing a 40-over target of 220-7.

James McIlroy took two wickets and scored 52 putting on 134 for the first wicket with skipper Geoff Holmes, with the latter going on to 95, but no one else managing double figures.