With Usk seconds’ game versus Welsh Asians being called off the previous evening, all attention switched on Saturday to the firsts’ game at home to Croesyceiliog.

Usk skipper, Tom Robinson, won the toss and elected to field on a greenish wicket. This proved an excellent decision as the Usk bowlers set about the Crossy batting order. In the 18th over, the visitors found themselves 40-7. Danny Evans (20) and Josh Harris (33*) at least ensured some respectability as Crossy fought their way up to 98 all out from 38.4 overs. For Usk, Robinson (10-1-20-4), James Aston (10-3-21-3) and Joe Peacock (3-0-13-2) all finished with fine figures.

Usk’s reply got off to just as bad a start as they found themselves 15-5 in the 9th over. This then brought Richie Rees to the crease. A couple of further wickets then fell to leave the hosts precariously poised on 45-7 in the 14th over.

Aston (8*) then joined Rees (51*) and the two of them over the next dozen overs guided Usk to victory. They put on an unbroken 8th wicket partnership of 54, as Usk chased dpwn their target in 25.1 overs.

To put Rees’ innings in context, his 51*, from a total of 99, was made from 53 balls and contained five fours and a six.

The next highest scorer in the Usk team was Extras with 18, with only one other batsman making double figures. To follow up their brave batting performances Evans (10-1-32-4) and Harris (9-2-40-3) claimed the wickets for Crossy.

This Saturday, the firsts will hope to continue the winning habit as they travel to Newport Fugitives. The seconds entertain the same opponents. The firsts’ match will begin at 12:30pm (a 50-over contest), while the seconds will commence their 45-over game at 1pm. On Sunday, Usk play a friendly away to Miskin Manor beginning at 2pm.

Also on Sunday, the Athletic Club Ground hosts Wales Women as they take on Surrey and Durham in a triangular T20 competition. The first game starts at 10:30am.

Llanarth hosted Radyr in a hugely important battle between the basement teams in SEWCL Division Four, with both looking for their opening victory of the season.

Despite the wicket being covered, the damp conditions meant that a slow, low track was to be expected and Radyr were delighted to win the toss and insert the Trees.

The innings got off to a bad start as Tom Vaughan showed his judgement credentials, as an accredited football referee, by shouldering arms to the third ball of the innings and losing his off-stump.

Allan Dewfield joined Mark Baxter (87) at the crease and seemed to settle in nicely until he unluckily played on, and when Chris Page bunted a full toss to mid off to leave the Trees at 46-3 from 15 overs some repair work was needed.

Dennis Heath (54) and Baxter dug in until drinks and then went through the gears afterwards in adding 100 runs in the next 15 overs. The partnership was broken at 116 when Baxter played all around a shooter and was plumb lbw, unfortunately Heath followed him back to the pavilion almost immediately after being caught in the deep.

A likely total of 220 was rapidly revised downwards as the Trees could only muster 29 runs, for the loss of six wickets, in the final eight overs with 12-year-old first XI debutant Will Heath finishing unbeaten on 7*. A final score of 191-9 was very useful in the conditions, but not impregnable.

After a scrumptious tea the home fielders were still able to move smartly enough to elicit an early run out although there was some nervousness detectable in the fielding as a couple of subsequent chances went begging as the visitors progressed to 64-2.

It took a lightning reflex catch by Baxter at short cover, taking the ball as it was nearly past him, from a hard hit drive by the dangerous Steadman (46) to get Llanarth back on track. The catch and Chris Powell’s off-spin (3-31) put the Trees on top but Radyr weren’t finished and a promising partnership advanced the score to 118-4.

The visitors required 73 from the final 12 overs and it seemed as though a tight finish was on the cards but Andrew Spencer (2-24) and D Heath (2-32) then had their, decisive, say. Firstly Spencer found a beauty to dismiss Morris and then picked up another next ball via a well judged Dewfield catch. Then Heath (2-32) repeated the trick with his own double strike, helped by a diving Keith Spencer catch. With the flurry of wickets the Radyr skipper, Simon Walters (56*), settled for batting points and the innings closed on 160-8 giving Llanarth a vital victory and the added bonus of moving the Trees out of the relegation zone.

Talybont CC returned from Hay with a comprehensive eight wicket win over their local rivals to go top of Marches League Division Four by three points.

Skipper Dan Bowen won the all important toss and duly inserted Hay on a damp wicket.

Opening bowler Lewis Deacon (two for 54 off ten) struck early, getting the experienced Tim Masters well caught at point by Lewis Mallon for 0.

Huw Griffiths (one for 14 off ten) then had Lewis Price (13) caught and bowled, with Griffiths being unplayable at times and having numerous LBW appeals turned down.

First change bowler Craig Robinson (two for 53 off ten) then bowled Ben Warn (10), but father Karl Warn (79) with a well constructed earnings and the hard hitting Tim Davies (42) gave Hay a competitive total to bowl at.

The Bont dropped a few catches, but vital catches from Guy Williams and Mallon to dismiss Warn and Davies and a run out from Richard James left Hay 160 for six off their 40 overs.

On batting Dan Bowen (46 not out) and Craig Robinson (13) gave the Bont just the start they needed before Robinson was caught and bowled off Matt Griffiths at 41 for one.

Richard James (16) was then dismissed with a sharp stumping. Incoming batsman Huw Griffiths (59 not out) then joined Bowen in a superb match winning partnership of 101 with the big hitting Griffiths bludgeoning three consecutive sixes in one over and finishing with six sixes and three fours, with Bowen getting eight fours to see the Bont home with 10 overs to spare.

All-rounder Griffiths received the ‘man of the match’ accolade.