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In a week where we were promised title charges, relegation scraps, and even an all-Caerphilly County Borough affair; the South East Wales Cricket League produced more questions than answers.
A big question was answered by Newbridge Cricket Club in division one as they faced the only team below them in Llandaff.
Newbridge opened in their biggest game of the season and set a very healthy 233 for the home side to chase. Llandaff came up well short, Newbridge winning by 53 runs, leaving them 28 points clear of relegation rivals.
In division two, Blackwood Town were looking to extend their lead at the top as they visited seventh-placed Brecon.
Brecon batted first and were all out within 38 overs, setting an underwhelming 157 for Blackwood to chase. The visitors made light work of the job, reaching 158 with eight wickets to spare.
Blackwood sit 17 points clear at the top, although second-place has a game in hand.
A division three clash between the two Caerphilly County Borough sides; Pontymister and Crosskeys v Crumlin was postponed deep into the second innings due to an incident currently under investigation. More information is expected over the coming days.
It was a tricky afternoon for Machen in division four as they suffered only their second defeat this season away to Ponthir.
In a tight game that went down to the last over, Ponthir chased the 225 set by Machen. The home side just about managed the task. Machen still sit top with just three games left. A full match report below.
Ponthir v Machen match report
Machen’s depleted first team slipped to a disappointing defeat at Ponthir in division four though the second team competed hard against unbeaten South Wales Sri Lankans in division 11 and the Sunday eleven comfortably beat Penarth Sports.
The absence of several key first-team regulars through unavailability and injury saw Machen defeated by eight wickets at Ponthir despite taking the game to the final over.
Gareth Hibbs blasted 83 off 72 balls while Dewi Thomas hit a late 35 not out off 35 to take us to a respectable 225 for eight. There were wickets for Murad Mughal and Gazzy Jones but although we bowled tightly, a big stand for Ponthir’s third wicket gave them the licence to increase the run-rate and squeeze home at 226-2 with three balls to spare. Machen still top the table but with the advantage cut to 37 points, while second placed Usk have a game in hand.
Machen seconds made 164 all out in the full 40 overs at home against Sri Lankans, Dean Lewis top-scoring with 44 in a new opening role, while Nick Hatton, Delme Smith and Nigel Hicks all chipped in with twenties. The visitors came out attacking from the start but lost regular wickets to Dan Leonard (3-39) and Delme (2-38), and when Robin Jones also hit the stumps, a shock looked on the cards. But with a series of catches missed, Sri Lankans put together a seventh wicket stand of blazing boundaries to reach 165-2 inside 23 overs, leaving Machen to ponder a tale of what might have been as they slipped to fourth in the table.
There was some consolation from the Sunday team as some very last-minute team changes for Clive Fussell’s motley crew saw us field a decent side against Penarth Sports. Tyler Kidley, making a welcome return to the colours, hit a quick 31 while a powerful stand between Rhys Mellor Cretney (63, retired not out) and Gazzy Jones (50, also retired not out) produced a score of 202-6 in 35 overs.
Penarth Sports started well but a couple of run-outs set them back along with 2-12 from Jonny Cross. Cai Hughes claimed his first wicket for the club and youngster Will Owen his first wicket at home in a tidy spell, while Rhys Mellor-Cretney, more usually a wicket-keeper, took a collector’s item caught and bowled as the visitors finished on 146-8, giving a Machen winning margin of 56 runs.
Saturday 13 August sees Machen first XI host Dinas Powys while the second team play Cardiff’s Bay Dragons at Blackweir.
Abercarn were facing a few questions of their own as they entered the weekend, sitting a handful of points off bottom as they welcomed top of division seven St Fagans.
St Fagans opened and reached a reasonable 205 for Abercarn to catch. Lacking both form and confidence however, Abercarn only managed 105 runs and now sit perilously close to the drop zone.
With Cefn Fforest and Maesycwmmer not scheduled to play, they slipped down to third with 11 points to find
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