South East Wales Cricket League Division One - Chepstow (193 all out) lost to Pentyrch (199-4) by six wickets

CHEPSTOW First XI’s up and down season continued with their seventh defeat of the season.

Despite the loss, Chepstow are still third in the table behind leaders Miskin Manor and Newbridge but nine victories and one conceded in their 17 matches was highlighted at Mathern Road on Saturday when only four batsmen managed a double-figure score.

Opener Gareth Ansell top-scored with 40 runs but he had little support until he was joined at the crease by Sam Hope-Bell - in at five - who made 39.

Three other batsmen departed with single figures to their name before Malith Madurasinghe (24) and Tudor Morgan Huggett  (29 not out) resisted the visitors’ attack to post 193.

In their reply, Pentyrch opener Jack Lewis did early damage and although Chepstow skipper Jason Dobbie and Ben Kellaway enjoyed success with the ball, an unbeaten 95 by the visitors’ skipper Todd Wilcox clinched the victory.

“It was a disappointing day,” Madurasinghe conceded later.

“We didn’t get enough runs again although Gareth and Sam batted well at the top of the order.

“Despite a 55-run 10th wicket partnership between Tudor and myself, our total was still below par.

“We took a couple of early wickets but a fourth wicket partnership of a century took the game away from us.

“But we travel to Tondu next week looking to turn around our fortunes.”

Bob Cypher