USK 1st XI leapt to third in the South Wales Premier One table above city sides Cardiff and Swansea with a 70-run home win over bottom side Pentyrch.

The hosts scored 190-6 in their 40 overs, with opener Hugo Caldicott firing 63, former Qatar skipper Tamoor Zafar 43 and Harawal Ahmed Wassam 34.

Pentyrch posted a 63-run opening stand in reply, but Usk's bowlers then ripped through the rest of the batting line up for just 58 more runs, Paul Murphy taking five wickets and Zafar three, to dismiss them for 121 in 31 overs.

The 2nds also won by six wickets away to Sully Centurions 1sts in South East Wales Four.

Mika Ekstrom took four wickets, backed by Pat Rodden and Jamie Jones with two apiece, as the visitors skittled Sully for 121 in 38.2 overs.

And 43 from Jamie Rayner, 39 from Jones and 22 not out from Ekstrom eased them to 125-4 with 11 overs to spare.

But the 3rds narrowly missed out by three wickets at home to Radyr 4ths in SEW 9, all out for 194 in the final over before the visitors reached 195-7 with nine balls to spare.

The Midweek XI also fell to a six-wicket loss at home to Kings Newport, with the visitors claiming victory with seven balls left.

Elliot Doyle fired 31 off 16 balls, backed by Richard Rees and Matt Hancock (not out) with 20 apiece as the hosts raced to 142-8 in 16 overs.

It wasn't enough however, Kings reaching 146-4 largely thanks to 79 not out off 43 balls from their opener.

But Usk’s Sunday friendly side won by five wickets at home to Miskin Manor, Ryan Price firing 55, Doyle 44 not out, Neil Perrett 30 and Damian Harvey 28 as they chased down 217-9.

Usk reached 221-5 with nine balls left after Llewi Evans had taken three wickets, backed by Oliver Hall with two.

Monmouth 2nds also won by 42 runs at home to SEW 12E bottom side Abercarn on Saturday.

Opener Andrew Dobbie scored 43 sharing 63 and 44-run partnerships, the latter with Jake Teague who scored 38, before Kit Skailes with 31 and Tom Willgoss with 22 also contributed to a target of 200-7 off 40 overs.

Sam Brennan then steamed in to take five wickets for 16 runs off eight overs backed by Neil Saunders with 3-25, as the visitors were dismissed for 158 in the 37th over.

It was much closer for Llanarth 1st XI, as visitors Blaina reached the target with just four balls and two wickets left to claim the win in SEW 5.

Sean Edwards scored 45, Arthur Newington-Bridges 44 not out and Ollie Mann 26 as the hosts reached 201-7 off their 45 overs.

Newington-Bridges, Shah Fahad and Dan Moseley then took wicket braces, but Blaina squeezed home with 205-8, firing a four to win it.

Llanarth 2nds were triumphant though, bowling out hosts Chepstow 3rds for 151 in the 37th over before reaching 151-4 with 10 overs to spare.

Andrew Hilditch and Andrew Spenser took three-wicket hauls, while Mark Batt with an unbeaten 47, and Spenser with 21 saw them over the line after 37 from Dave Myatt.

Penallt and Redbrook also squeezed home with seven balls to spare chasing down visitors Dymock 2nds’ 166-9.

Tim Swanson with four wickets, Ross Williams with two and Vipin Sathy with 1-11-8 starred with the ball, before Graham Hyde with 38, Graham Emerson 28, Amal Suku 23, Liam Hurcome 20 and Sathy 19 not out guided them to 168-7.