South East Wales Cricket League

Division 4

Chepstow 2nds (214-7) lost to Undy & Magor 1sts 215-2 by 8 wickets.

UNDY & Magor hauled themselves out of the bottom three in the table with this victory at Mathern Road, writes Bob Cypher.

The defeat also meant Chepstow slipped closer to the trapdoor and added extra importance to this Saturday’s matches when U&M will entertain bottom club Mountain Ash at Mill Lane, Caldicot, while Chepstow travel to one-from-bottom Pentyrch Seconds.

Home skipper James Bostock won the toss and decided to bat first.

Opener Ryan Scrivens started briskly hitting eight boundaries in his 41 from 30 balls contribution before top-edging one from Ollie Smith into wicketkeeper Josh James’ gloves.

By then Scrivens had been joined at the crease by Tuhin Gavand who made a fine 58 with seven boundaries before falling to Paul Smith.

Despite the next four batsmen making double figure scores, there were no meaningful partnerships, despite the efforts of Ben Tindall (18) who became Ollie Smith’s third victim, skipper Bostock (13) caught and bowled by Richard Hudson and Ollie Rayner who made 20 before becoming Steve Hepple’s first victim.

Wicketkeeper Jonathan Huws, in at seven, was 27 not out at the end and Amit Kiplani (7 not out) dispatched a towering maximum off the first delivery he faced.

Ollie Smith took the bowling honours for U&M with 3-47, while Steve Hepple took 2-43.

In their reply, U&M’s start was fairly solid until skipper Harry James lost his partner Arjun Calidas for 30, bowled by Luca Goddard.

James was joined at the crease by Luke Farley whose 58 not out contribution looked set to carry them over the line,

But James fell agonisingly short of a century when Ollie Rayner’s lbw appeal on 94 was given, leaving Luke Boast (11) to accompany Farley to victory

The skipper said he hoped the win would prove a turning point for U&M.

“Their openers got out of the blocks well, scoring quickly,” James said later.

“Once we got those out we did well to stem the flow, limiting them to 214 on a good track.

“It was a good chase and a good win, which will hopefully kick us on now to make a good run!”