South East Wales Cricket League Division One - Usk (251-9) lost to Sudbrook (265 all out) by 14 runs

A BATTLING 96 by Scott O’Leary was the standout performance as Sudbrook won at Usk.

Paul Murphy (3-59) and Ben Jones (3-36) accounted for the first three Sudbrook wickets to fall but O’Leary dug in and hit 12 boundaries and three maximums before falling agonisingly close to a well-deserved century.

James Hussey (27) and Matthew Burton  (39) chipped in with valuable runs as did skipper Jamie Watkins (17) and Jonathan Lewis  (16) as the tail wagged.

As Usk began their chase, Lewis removed opener Hywel Rose while partner Mitchell Slape accounted for Ian Clayton.

O’Leary grabbed the first of his two wickets to end Matt Hancock’s stubborn resistance while making 77 and Dean Wallace had Jack Norman caught by James Hussey for 27.

Wicketkeeper Dougie Spencer was stumped by his counterpart Ross Lewist to give Sudbrook skipper Jamie Watkins the first of his four wickets.

O’Leary took his second, clean-bowling Tom Robinson for three and Watkins mopped up the take thanks to three catches ending with figures of 4-66 off his 10 overs.

Bob Cypher