Usk turn the tables on leaders Chepstow

Usk beat league leaders Chepstow by 7 wickets to maintain hope of avoiding relegation

Meanwhile back in Usk, Chepstow won the toss and elected to bat. The Usk bowlers got off to a terrific start, as both Jimmy Spencer and Jake Roderick struck early. At 35-2, the hosts found themselves on top. Price (36) and Bennett (39) then consolidated for the visitors, as they took the Chepstow score up to 85 before Dave Edgerton caught and bowled Price. With Spencer then removing Bennett and picking up a further scalp, momentum swung firmly back to Usk. With Julian Smith’s spin bamboozling the lower order, Chepstow struggled to 166 all out. Smith finished with figures of 6.2-1-18-4, Spencer 10-0-44-3, and Roderick 9-3-21-1.

The hosts’ reply got off to a dreadful start as Tony Kear fell for a duck. Fortunately for Usk, only two more wickets fell on 84 and 121 respectively, as Mike Kear (29), Richie Morris (56), Richie Barrett (40*) and Richie Rees (26*) all batted sensibly to see Usk home in the 33rd over. Top scorer Morris’ 56 included 7 fours. If the weather holds over the next two weekends and the seconds win both games, then it is still possible for them to seal Premier League status for the next season.