Thomas Carroll Glamorgan & Monmouthshire Cricket League

Division One

By Bob Cypher

SPARE a thought for Chepstow CC 1sts’ young wicketkeeper and opening batsman Gareth Ansell.

Chasing Malpas’ 247-9, Gareth or Mr Cricket as skipper Jason Dobbie calls him – quietly supported fellow opener Carwyn James as the hugely-experience batsman produced a superb 125 before being caught.

The score stood at 237-1 with Gareth on 90 and the prospect of reaching his maiden century for the First XI was looming large.

Enter another of Chepstow’s promising youngsters, Tyler Morgan-Huggett, who after earlier taking 2-24 to finish off Malpas’ tail, began with a single.

The elusive and coveted century was still “on” especially when Gareth struck another boundary. Two more boundaries would be enough to win the game and to see him walk back to the pavilion to a huge ovation.

But then it all went wrong as Morgan-Huggett explained.

“Their bowler sent down a head-high full toss,” he said. “Instinct took over.”

That instinct was to swat the ball away as hard as possible but even Tyler hadn’t expected the ball to soar over the boundary for a maximum to win the match.

Despite the disappointment, Gareth, 18, and a student at Monmouth School, was fairly philosophical.

“Before Carwyn was out, I wasn’t too worried about the hundred but when Tyler came in, I asked him to block for a maiden over and give me a chance to get the century,” he explained,

“But he showed good levels of concentration to whack the first one of the over for six!

“He had a fair point in that he was padded up for 35 overs and wanted a few runs but if I don't get another chance this summer I'll have had a poor season so it’s onto the next dig!”

Chepstow captain Jason Dobbie said it had been a good weekend for the team..

“We had a good win in the Macey Cup against Rogerstone on Friday evening,” he said.

“Despite losing the toss again, we did well on a good batting wicket, to restrict Malpas to a credible total.

“Tudor Morgan-Huggett bowled well, taking three superb wickets for 30 runs.”

Malith Madurasinghe took 2-51 including Malpas opener Ryan Ward, caught by Paul Swingwood on 121.

Meanwhile, at Mathern Road, Chepstow Seconds skipper Huw Rogers won the toss and asked Welsh Asians to field.

“John Griffith (20) and Scott Bailey (47) gave us a great start with Scott showing great maturity,” Rogers said.

“James Bostock (6) batted as well as I have ever seen him and 50 extras including 40 wides, helped us,

“The visitors also had a good start and the run rate was at six an over until spin slowed them down.

“Justin Thornhill (2-24) and Lewys Jones (3-48) put the brakes on and Tim Rees came back to clean up the tail with 3-42 to complete a good all-round performance.”