CHEPSTOW CC maintained their title challenge by beating Pontypridd by seven wickets in one of the few matches to survive the storms on Saturday.

Skipper Jason Dobbie won the toss and elected to field on a hot and humid day with rain expected late on.

Pontypridd made a fairly solid but slow start, punishing any friendly deliveries from opening bowlers Jon Roberts and Malith Madurasinghe.

Dobbie turned to Dave Monk who produced the first victim, bowling Jon Hughes for eight and Dobbie removed Josh Waughington (30) who was brilliantly caught by Tudor Morgan-Huggett.

A great throw by Jake Kings ran out Gregor McKain for 10 and Monk grabbed his second wicket, trapping Andrew Collins leg before wicket.

Glen Williams offered some resistance, falling three runs short of his half century when he was stumped by Gareth Ansell off Paul Swingwood’s bowling, effectively ending Pontypridd’s hopes of posting a good score.

Four Chepstow bowlers took two wickets each, Dobbie ending with two wickets at a cost of just 12 runs with six of his 10 overs being maidens. Swingwood also bowled meanly, conceding just 18 runs for two wickets.­­­­

In reply, chasing just 133, Chepstow openers Kings and Ansell put on 71 before Ansell departed for 15.

Kings hit 10 boundaries in his 55-run innings and after Mitchell Harris was dismissed, Oliver Thornhill and Tyler Morgan-Huggett saw the league leaders to 136-3.