South East Wales Cricket League

Division One

Chepstow 1sts (213-7) lost to Sudbrook 1sts (223-7) by 10 runs

CHEPSTOW Firsts clinched promotion to the Premier League Division 2 despite losing this hotly-contested local derby, writes Bob Cypher.

After winning the toss, Chepstow skipper Jason Dobbie invited the visitors to bat first.

With the hosts knowing that bonus points would be enough to clinch promotion, there was some concern when visiting opener Ross Lewis began to compile a useful half century despite losing partners.

Matthew Kinchin (19), Matt Jones (12) departed early but when Lewis was joined at the crease by Scott O’Leary, alarm bells began to ring for the home side.

O’Leary was unbeaten on 119 seven days earlier when Sudbrook successfully chased down Pentyrch’s 269-run total.

The score at that point was 76-2 but the pair put on 64 for the third wicket with O’Leary being clean bowled by Lewys Jones, having made 43.

Lewis stayed to make 64 before being trapped lbw by Jones with 147 runs on the board.

James Hussey took up the challenge and made 19 from 24 deliveries, Matt Burton weighed in with 17 from 13 and Kel Stevens made a useful 27 from 29, leaving skipper Jamie Watkins (10) and Ryan Hudson (1) to ride out the 50 overs.

After tea, the home assault suffered early setbacks, all thanks to the safe hands of Matt Kinchin who took three catches to dismiss Carwyn James for 12, Ben Hope-Bell (0) and Aaron Jones (0) with Chepstow at 64-4.

Having made three bowling bonus points, Chepstow needed to make 175 for three batting points to clinch the promotion.

Ollie Thornhill survived what would have been a hat-trick delivery from Dean Wallace and went on to make 18 before Wallace had him caught by James Hussey.

The dismissal brought Chepstow’s skipper to the crease and after a brief conference, the pace of the game changed.

With bonus points more important than an outright victory, a more cautious stance was taken, as the pair moved ever closer to the target.

His job done, Gareth Ansell departed 13 runs short of a ton and although Dobbie went for 45 soon after, Tyler Morgan-Huggett and Malith Madurasinghe tried in vain to overhaul Sudbrook’s total.

After receiving the Division 1 trophy, an elated Dobbie praised Ansell for his performance.

“Gareth deserves a special mention for his batting under pressure,” he said.

“The boys are so pleased with the efforts of the year and winning promotion.”

His counterpart, Jamie Watkins, congratulated Chepstow but also pointed to the three cancellations his team were hit with during the season.

“We’ve done as much as we could under the circumstances,” he said.

“We’ve beaten the two teams above us and finished third.

“It might have been a different story if we had played the same number of games as the top two.”

Chepstow’s promotion also affects their Second XI who will play in the Premier 2nds East division next season.