FIFTY from Hugo Caldicott and three wickets from Freddie Wolfenden helped Usk CC 1st XI claim top spot in South Wales Premier Two with a 22-run win at home to Carmarthen Wanderers on Saturday.

The hosts set a target of 197-7 off their 50 overs, Matt Williams and Wolfenden also scoring 23 apiece, the former unbeaten.

And they then restricted Wanderers to 175-8, Richard Rees taking two of the wickets, and Mika Ekstrom, Henry Woolf and Tamoor Zafar one apiece.

The 2nds struggled chasing 209-8 off 40 overs away to Barry Athletic 2nds in South East Wales 4, all out for 151 off 34 overs.

Neil Perrett took three wickets for the visitors, and Jamie Jones and Joe Peacock two apiece, before Sidharth Ramesh top-scored with 56, backed by Jarrod Bluck with 26.

Damian Harvey just missed out on an incredible ton scoring an unbeaten 96 off just 26 balls in reply for Usk 3rds at home to Pontymister & Crosskeys in SEW 10.

Chasing down a respectable 201-7 off 40 overs, his whirlwind innings included an incredible nine sixes and 10 fours, as Usk raced to 203-2 off 27.4 overs for an eight-wicket win.

Dan Cordell and Pat Rodden took wicket braces for the hosts, while Arvind Aswani also carried his bat for 52, backed by Gethin Thomas with 32.

In the Macey Cup 20-over match on Monday evening, Usk lost by 22 runs at home to Newport CC after being set a target of 154-6, with Mika Ekstrom taking 3-16 off his four overs.

In reply, Hugo Caldicott scored 36 and Ekstrom 32, but they were all out for 132 with four balls to play.

Llanarth 1st XI lost by six wickets in a high-scoring SEW 5 game at home to Ponthir, with more than 500 runs between the sides.

The hosts thought 265-5 off 45 overs might be enough, skipper opener Ollie Mann cracking a brilliant 107, including 16 fours and two sixes, backed by Paul Gittins with an 87 that included 11 fours and three sixes.

But the visitors had other ideas, reaching 267-4 in the 40th over, Jac Hardman hitting an unbeaten 81 off 55 balls.

The 2nds won a last-ball thriller by one run away to Monmouth 2nds in SEW 12E after setting a target of 149-9 off their 40 overs, skipper Nick White scoring 40 backed by Dave Myatt with 31 and Will Evans with 26.

They then secured three run outs in a thrilling run chase as Monmouth reached 148-7 in their allotted overs, White getting two of them.

Glangrwyney 1sts lost by six wickets away to Porth in SEW 8, after being dismissed for 124 in the 32nd over.

Tim Jones scored 31 and Mike Devoy 28, but the hosts eased to 127-4 in 24 overs to claim the win, Jeremy Kerrison taking two of the wickets.

The 2nds also struggled at home to Ponthir 3rds in SEW 13E, restricted to 113-8 off their 40 overs before the visitors scored 114 without loss in 26.4 overs to claim a 10-wicket win.

Mark Keane top-scored with 37 for the hosts, but no one else could get going.