NEWPORT’S problems in the Swalec Premier League continued when they lost a hard fought game at Ynysygerwn by four wickets.

After deciding to bat first, Newport reached 234-7 in their 50 overs with Nathan Millichip getting 52, captain Mike Clayden 43 and Gary Wood 41.

For the Neath Valley side, Mark Davies returned 12-0-44-3 and Barry Davies 12-4-28-2.

It wasn’t the greatest target and so it proved as Ynys got the runs after 48.2 overs, pacing their reply perfectly.

Run machine Kieran Howells scored 67, Gareth Davies 32 and Stephen Inward 30. Chris Ashling took 2-41, Clayden 2-55 and Imran Hassan 2-63 for Newport.

Cardiff’s relentless march towards the championship continued as they defeated Port Talbot Town at the New Mansel by eight wickets in a game dominated by former Glamorgan star batsman and supremo Matthew Maynard.

Maynard took 2-26 and with Adam Shantry (3-24) helped restrict Port Talbot Town to 186-8 going in first.

But it was his unbeaten 109 that helped Cardiff canter to victory in just 28.1 overs.

Bridgend Town caused a shock of major proportions when they defeated reigning champions Sully in their first game in the top flight but there was no repeat at Newbridge Gardens as the champions had the better of a drawn game.

Lloyd Smith scored 66, Will Bragg 33, Jamie Sylvester 34 not out and Chris Thorne 25 as Sully posted 239-8 with Brad Wadlan taking 12-2-41-3 for Bridgend.

Grant Humphries and Wadlan both scored 39 but Bridgend were in deep trouble at 119-8.

However, young Blackwood wicket-keeper Tom Baker (53no) and Adam Weaver (28no) added 80 for the ninth wicket to save the game.

Lloyd Bruce had 7-1-26-3 for Sully, Tom Evison 10-2-36-2 and Bridgend boy Daniel Rowe 2-45 off 11 overs.

Pontarddulais helped their battle against relegation by having the better of a draw with visitors Mumbles and Swansea defeated bottom club Ammanford by four wickets with former Newport bowler Ryan Aingworth getting 3-34 for Swansea.

Newport seconds beat Ynysygerwn seconds at Spytty Park by eight wickets with Dave King (9-3-31-4) and Matthew Jones (12-1-56-4) doing well with the ball and Josh Aston (74no), Jones (52no) and Rhydian Knox (37) getting the runs.

IT was all change at the top of Division One of the Thomas, Carroll Glamorgan and Monmouthshire Cricket League after leaders Panteg suffered a shock defeat by Sudbrook and Usk defeated Abergavenny.

Sudbrook opted for first knock at the Deepweir and reached 223-8 with Mark O‚Leary making 60, Carl Morgan 48 not out and Ross Lewis 38. For Panteg, Chris Mee took 3-39 and Kristian Bell 2-32.

For once, Panteg‚s batting failed apart from Ian Bird (48) and Mee (33no) and they slumped to 154 all out – a defeat that sees them slip to third.

Seamer Mitchell Slape took 3-27 for Sudbrook and Rob Thorne 3-35.

At Usk, Abergavenny decided to go in first but could only manage 196-5 with James Schofield getting 40 and Ryan Watkins 38.

Tom Lee took 1-24 off 10 overs for Usk and Ollie James 1-38 off 10.

Seb Warwick got 40 early in the Usk reply but it was a fourth wicket partnership of 90 by James (79no) and Ian Clayton (32no) that took them to 200-3 and to the top of the table.

Blackwood also climbed after winning at Croesyceiliog by five wickets.

Croesy decided to bat and struggled to 171 all out with only Connor Miles (31) getting runs. Jason Grubb led the Blackwood assault with 5-31, Rob Matthews took 3-23 and his brother Richard 2-9.

Gareth Berry went for 29 when Blackwood batted but Richard Matthews smacked 90 off 70 balls to help them reach 172-5. John Price took 3-32 off seven overs.

Andy Harris (65), Tarun Manohar (67), Dwayne Nel (45) and Marc Lezar (36) all got runs as Rogerstone reached 278-9 at home to Pentyrch. Dominic Gambles took 4-61 for Pentyrch.

Adnan Ghori scored 36 and captain Gareth Gardiner 33 when Pentyrch went in but Harris took 3-27 and Manohar 3-32 to get them all out for 164.

St Fagans just held off visitors Penarth for a nine-run victory and Chepstow managed to deny Tondu by 11 runs at Bryn Road.

Tondu put Chepstow in but that backfired as they reached 249-9 with Carwyn James scoring 73, Tuhin Gavand 55, Zac Watson 40 and Luke Sellers 31.

Skipper Richard Ready took 4-44 for the Waterwheelers and Ryan Owen 3-52 off 10 overs.

Jamie Williamson continued his fine form with 74 when Tondu batted, Ready made 52 and Dai Rees 38 not out but two silly run outs cost them as they finished on 238 all out. Sellers took 3-27 for Chepstow and Luke Watson, brother of Zac, 3-43.

Division Two leaders Miskin Manor lost their unbeaten record at Creigiau and Pontypridd got the better of Newport Fugitives at Ynysyangharad Park.

Former Glamorgan batsman Jonathan Hughes hit a magnificent 156 not out after being dropped when he was only 30.

That helped Ponty to reach 258-8 with James Didcote taking 3-51 off 10 overs for the Fugitives.

Didcote then made 44 not out and Richard Jones 38 but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Fugitives fell for 176.

Tom Vaal took 3-34 off 10 overs for Ponty and Tom Morgan 3-38 off 10.

Hoovers lost at home to Brecon, Vale thrashed Radyr and Malpas defeated out-of-practice Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park.

Richard Moon managed 27 as Ebbw Vale collapsed to 70 all out to the bowling of James Francis (10-2-34-4) and Lewis Morgan (4.4-2-10-3).

Gary Poyner made 29 not out as Malpas got the runs for the loss of two wickets.

Division Three leaders Newbridge held on to their unbeaten tag but were pushed hard at Ponthir.

Cael Jones (65), skipper James Morgan (55), Jonathan Westwood (32), James Horton Snr (29), Jamie Baker (28) and James Horton jnr (22) all got runs as Newbridge piled up 279-6 batting first.

Jack Norman took 2-47 off nine overs for Ponthir, Matt Dennehy 2-86off 13 and there was a wicket each by Jamie Evans and Jarrod Bluck.

Dennehy scored 43, Norman 40 and both Jim Dennehy and Matt Hazelhurst 21 but they finished well short on 211 all out.

Gareth Jenkins returned 10-4-39-4 for Newbridge, Morgan took 2-41 off eight overs and Tom Kinsey 2-70 off 14.

In other matches, Barry thrashed Upper Rhondda by 213 runs, Cardiff Gymkhana edged past Whitchurch Heath, Welsh Asians hammered Llantwit Fardre and Machen won a game of over 600 runs at Lisvane.

Batting first, Machen amassed a mighty 341-6 thanks mainly to a second-wicket partnership of 214 between skipper Gareth Jones, who made a marvellous 129, and D Singh who had an equally fine 131. Ajaz Khan took 3-106 for Lisvane.

Dave Ricketts became the third centurion of the match when he cracked a superb 110 for Lisvane and Snehasis Tripathy got 39 but they were bowled out for 271 as Ben Clifford took 3-58 for Machen and Jack Dunn 2-17.