A SUPERB 93 not out off 83 balls by Harawal Ahmed Wassam fired Usk to an eight-wicket Welsh Cup regional semi-final win over visitors Malpas on Sunday.
The opener also took two wickets, alongside Richard Rees with three and Ben Jones two as the Newport side were restricted to 171-9 off 40 overs.
And the hosts needed just 25.3 overs to race to 174-2, Wassam firing 14 fours and two sixes, backed by skipper Elliot Doyle with 31 and Sidharth Ramesh with an unbeaten 24.
The previous day the 1sts struggled at Pentyrch in the South Wales PL when the match was abandoned with the visitors on 47-5.
But the 2nds and 3rds both enjoyed handsome wins at home to Sully Centurions 1sts and Radyr 4ths respectively.
Sully were dismissed for 136 in 37.3 overs, Matthew Williams taking 5-22, including two of three wickets in six balls in the middle of the innings.
Pat Rodden and Paul Murphy also took two apiece, backed by Jamie Jones with one.
Openers Williams with an unbeaten 71, including 11 fours, and Matt Hancock with 55, including eight fours, then eased to 138-0 in 34.2 overs.
Julian Sanders cracked a round 100 off 121 balls for the 3rds, backed by Dave Harding-Smith with 42 as Usk reached 216-6 off 40 overs at Radyr.
And they then bowled the Cardiff outfit out for 153 in 38.5 overs, Neil Perrett taking three wickets, and Gethin Thomas and Sam Rodden two apiece.
Midweek saw less luck, as Usk's 177-5 off 18 overs was overhauled with three balls left by hosts Kings Newport 2nds.
Matthew Williams again starred with 76 with the bat backed by Matt Hancock with 31 not out, the former also taking two wickets alongside Jamie Jones, as Radyr reached 178-5.