Newport Cricket Club 1st X1 completed their fourth consecutive win in the South Wales 

Premier League, as Imran Hassan 97 and Matt Norris 62, led them to a fine 7 wicket win 
away to Ynysygerwn.
 

             Matt Norris 62 and Imran Hassan 97 Share Match Winning
                              151 Run 2nd wicket Partnership

Captain, Michael Clayden won the toss and put Ynysygerwn in to bat with the ground damp 
from early morning showers. Openers, Alex McCormack and Ryan Sylvester soon had 38 on 
the board off 9 overs, before Sylvester was out LBW to Jamie Coles for 16. A further boost to 
the Newport bowling attack came as Richard Grant, (who scored 187 last week against St Fagans)
became the second LBW victim this time to Michael Clayden, for just 3. When Clayden claimed 
his second wicket, opener McCormack for 22 and the score on 59-3 off 14 overs, Newport were 
well and truly in the driving seat.

However, Sam Davies 67 not out, and Glamorgan's Will Owen 30, began to take advantage of 
some slack bowling to stage a partial recovery. The middle order of Aaron Ace 26 and 
R.Herbert 26 led Ynys to 215-6 off 46 overs, before finally ending their innings on 233-9.
Clayden 4-35 being the pick of the bowlers, with Harry Powell claiming 2-54.

A daunting run chase looked even more formidable as Matt Jones was out LBW in the first 
over of the Newport reply. However, the wicket brought Imran Hassan and Matt Norris together 
and the two began to forge the recovery. After 7 overs Newport had scored just 18-1, but the 
seeds were being sown for a match winning partnership. A flurry of runs ensued as first Norris 
cut loose and the Hassan as Newport quickly recovered to 63-1 off 12 overs. The two were 
proving to be the perfect foil for each other, solid in defence and pouncing on anything loose. 
The hundred partnership came in the 22nd over with Newport on 101-1, with Hassan and Norris 
both claiming their personal fifties shortly after.

A masterclass of batting skills, with runs being scored freely by both players, took Newport in 
sight of victory, before the partnership of 153 runs was broken as Norris was bowled for an 
excellent 62. Hassan, was by now in complete control and a century looked inevitable. However, 
just 3 runs short of a deserved century he was out bowled with the Newport score on 174-3 off 
34 overs. 

Any thoughts of an anxious final fifty plus run chase, were quickly evaporated as Kamau Leverock 
joined captain Michael Clayden at the wicket. Following last week's swashbuckling innings against 
Cardiff, he immediately dispatched his first two balls he faced for a four and six, easing any shackles 
the Ynys bowlers had gained.

Continuing his hard hitting role, 48 runs were scored in just 5 overs as both Clayden and Leverock 
dispatched the bowling to all parts of the ground. A dispirited bowling attack, could do nothing as 
the two completed an unbroken partnership of 62 runs, to see Newport home to a scintillating 
7 wicket victory in just 42 overs. Clayden finished on 24 not out, while Leverock scored an 
unbeaten 35 in just 21 balls.

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Newport picked up 19 points to remain in 2nd place in the SWPL. Bridgend top the League with 8 points more.
Newport play hosts to Bridgend next weekend.

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