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The cricket season is in full swing with seven sides across Caerphilly County Borough looking to gain promotion or avoid the drop in the South East Wales Cricket League.
Blackwood Town were the big success story last summer, securing promotion to division one after winning the league.
They’re still yet to find their feet in the top division of cricket in south east Wales however. Five games in and Blackwood are still winless.
They opened the batting against Tondu on the weekend but could only manage 85 runs before losing all of their wickets inside 40 overs. Tondu chased down the hosts within 17 overs to run out comfortable winners.
In division two, Newbridge faced the Newport Fugitives after being relegated from the top flight last year.
Newbridge were also looking to secure their first win of the season after a rocky start. They opened the batting and put up a very respectable 196 for Newport to chase.
The visitors, who are already challenging for promotion after four games, made the task look simple, reaching the target in just 38 overs.
Division three is going to be very interesting this season with newly promoted Machen joining Crumlin and Pontymister and Crosskeys.
Machen hosted Crumlin in a derby clash that proved to be the tie of the weekend. Machen opened the batting and set Crumlin a solid target of 198.
The game came down to the final ball, Crumlin needing just one run off the last to draw, and anything more to win.
They didn’t manage to find anything however and Machen secured their first victory of the season by one run.
Crumlin remain winless in eighth, just a spot behind Machen.
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Pontymister and Crosskeys have also had a rocky start to their season. They faced a strong Penarth side on the road.
Despite being rock bottom, Pontymister set a brilliant score of 209 for the hosts to chase. Penarth made it look like light work, however. They not only reached that target in 30 overs, but did it without losing a single wicket.
Dropping down a few leagues to division eight we find Abercarn, who played host to Brecon. Abercarn had their first two games of the season cancelled due to rain so were also technically looking for their first win.
Brecon batted first and reached a very gettable 131 for Abercarn to chase. The hosts did so with six wickets to spare putting them sixth in the league.
One league below in division nine, Cefn Fforest and Maesycwmmer played Ponthir on the road. Last season the borough side made a pretty good go at promotion but fell just short.
They fell short once again last weekend. Ponthir opened with a superb score of 227 and Cefn Fforest and Maesycwmmer were not up for the chase. All out for 172. They sit in seventh spot.
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