ABERGAVENNY 1st XI will be in the top tier of South Wales regional cricket next season after securing promotion with a tight nine-run home win over relegation-threatened Chepstow, reports PAUL SUSSEX.

The 2nds also won their divisional title on Saturday, sparking a double celebration at the 190-year-old club.

The 1sts won the toss and batted on a dry wicket which had been covered since Thursday.

The decision backfired in the second over though when Andrew Jones was adjudged lbw for five, and the score was just 26-1 from the first 10 overs.

Ryan Avery and Will Glenn took the score past 50 runs in the 18th over and their 50-run partnership for the second wicket in the next over.

Glenn was then bowled for 30 (63-2) and at drinks at 25 overs, Abergavenny were 80-2.

They they then lost Dan Skipwith for 23 and Tom Pipe for six to be 102-4 with 19 overs remaining.

Ryan Avery, who was still battling, was joined by skipper Joe Harris and they took the score to 147-4 at 40 overs.

Leading run scorer Avery then passed 50 for the fourth time this season, and built a decent 67-run partnership with Joe Harris for the fifth wicket before he was out for 58 (169-5).

That brought the Harris brothers together, who took the score to just short of 200 when Joe was out for 38.

And at the close, Abergavenny were 218 all out with Chepstow’s Filip Chitnis incredibly taking a hat-trick with the last three balls of the innings.

In reply, Chepstow were kept in check by the Abergavenny attack and lost wickets fairly regularly to be 110-7, with last week’s key bowler Pawan Nisansala again taking four wickets (4-37).

But a stand of 64 for the eighth wicket, reminiscent of the previous week against Penarth, made things a little tense, but a fantastic run out by Nisansala eased the tension (178-9) with 41 needed from the final six overs.

The game went into to the final over though, as Chepstow passed 200 and scored 10 of the 19 required.

But Owen Harris ran out top scorer Rhys Leach for 58 to seal the victory for Abergavenny by nine runs with two balls left.

It was a vital win as third-placed Cowbridge lost and leaders Ynystawe had only five points for a cancelled fixture, which means the latter and Abergavenny are promoted to SWP1.

The eight-point gap means either of them can be promoted as champions on Saturday (August 31), when Abergavenny visit Clydach and Ynystawe go to Chepstow.

Meanwhile, the 2nds took on Croesyceiliog away in a rain-hit fixture, and the hosts were soon in trouble at 9-3, with two wickets for Shunryu Sheehan and one for Dylan Beaumont-Welsh.

Things got worse for Croesy, as the Abergavenny bowlers were relentless with all six bowlers in the wickets, and the hosts all out for 89 in 25 overs.

Abergavenny knocked off the runs in the 16th over of their innings for the loss of just three wickets, Ed Woolcott with 33 not out, Steve Brown 12 not out and Ellis Jones 22 ensuring the victory and the crown of South East Wales 6 champions.

Their 12 victories and just one loss demonstrated consistency throughout the season, with Panteg at home on Saturday in their final match.

Abergavenny 1st XI were Joe Harris, Andrew Jones, Ryan Avery, Will Glenn, Dan Skipwith, Tom Pipe, Jack Ryan, Owen Harris, David Clarke, Pawan Nisansala, Lewis Wilkes-McCarthy.

The 2nds were Ed Woolcott, Will Eccles, Ellis Jones, Olly.Jones, Steve Brown, Nathan Holley, Lloyd Sharp,Toby Smith, Matthew Knight, Shunryu Sheehan, Dylan Beaumont-Welsh.

The 3rds host Pontymister and Crosskeys 2nds at the weekend, while the 4ths are away to Blackwood Town 3rds.