South East Wales Cricket League

Division Four

UNDY and Magor CC skipper Ryan Hudson described Saturday's match against Mountain Ash as “amazing” after the two clubs fought for an extremely rare draw, writes Bob Cypher.

“I’ve asked longer-serving members of our club and they tell me it’s the first draw this club has ever been involved in,” Hudson said later.

“We restricted the visitors to 182 for seven, a total we felt was within our capabilities, but we finished on 182 all out with the final ball.

“With the rivalry between ourselves and Mountain Ash over the last few seasons, it was a fitting way for the game to finish and highlighted what talent both sides have, in my opinion.”

After winning the toss, Hudson asked the visitors to bat first on the Caldicot Leisure Centre pitch.

The skipper enjoyed an early success when having opener Owen Roberts caught by wicketkeeper Josh James for just two runs.

But opener Nathan Manley (24), Idris Davies (10) and Wynne Davies (21) steadied the innings and Kristian Jennings (28) and top-scoring skipper Josh Williams (54) helped Mountain Ash to their total.

Richard Hudson was the pick of U&M’s bowlers with 3-22 and two maidens in his nine-over spell.

In reply, the home side started well, openers Harry James (29) and Steve Hepple (25) making the target seem well within their reach, but after some middle order disasters it fell to skipper Hudson to craft an unbeaten 63 as wickets tumbled around him to secure the draw.

Mountain Ash earned 17 points to U&M’s 15 because the visitors gained two extra bowling points for dismissing their hosts.