THERE was disappointment for Penarth Cricket Club on the weekend as the club suffered four league defeats for only the second time this summer.

The first team made a trip to title chasing Chepstow and couldn’t upset the form book as the home side wrapped up a five wicket win which keeps them top of the division and Penarth in mid table.

Having been asked to bat first Penarth lost Will Skone in the 10th over for 14 before Jack Thomas and Ben Wellington moved the score on to 51 before the latter was trapped LBW by Jason Dobbie.

That wicket brought about a collapse as Chepstow grabbed three wickets to leave Penarth at 63 for 5 in the 28th over.

Penarth’s rebuilding was led by Tom Sidford who made a watchful 46 and although wickets continued to fall Llyr Morris made a useful unbeaten 20, Huw Hudson 13 and Nathan Piddock 14 to guide their team to a competitive 182 for 9 from 50 overs.

Chepstow began positively and reached 57 without loss before Skone and Mark Thomas removed both openers on the same score.

Skone struck again seven runs later to remove Ben Kellaway before trapping Ben Hope-Bell for 20 to leave Chepstow 104 for 4.

Aaron Jones dug in to make 30 for the home side and although Jack Thomas struck with 40 runs still required Dobbie guided Chepstow home with 32 not out and three overs remaining.

At The Athletic Field the seconds couldn’t follow up on last week’s excellent win as St Fagans took the spoils with a hard earned 20 run victory.

On a damp pitch visiting skipper Chris Thorne got his side off to a flyer with a half century in the first five overs before his downfall saw Penarth claim control to restrict the visitors to 177 for 8.

Neil Stephens and Tim Miller bagged three wickets each and Rhys Mottram 2, while 14-year-old debutant Isaac Foster bowled excellently for 0 for 29.

Penarth’s reply began steadily with James Erasmus, 35, and Gareth Jenkins, 39, adding 77 for the first wicket but as the required rate climbed subsequent batters found the going tough.

Morgan Humphreys made a useful 19 but when he fell to an excellent caught and bowled and Erasmus was caught at cover Penarth’s hopes subsided and they ended at 157 for 8.

The third team travelled to Ton Pentre and were dismissed for a disappointingly low total before succumbing to a seven-wicket defeat.

Penarth were reduced to 25 for 4 early on but some excellent batting from Erasmus, 55, and Avinash Mehrotra, 34, enabled them to fight back and post a more respectable 132.

An excellent bowling and fielding display brought wickets for Isaac Foster and Navan Kathir but there weren’t enough runs on the board and Ton got home by seven wickets.

There was to be no hat-trick of final over wins for the fourths as Monmouth posted a mammoth 291 for 8 despite three wickets for Andy Prickett and two for Rohan Rayani.

Penarth never threatened the target despite 25 for Dominic Dwyer and 24 for Dan Grosfils before a middle order collapse left Luke Dennett, 32*, and Prickett, 25*, to add an 61 for the final wicket to reach 151 for 9.

Saturday fixtures: 1st v Gorseinon (H), 2nd v Chepstow (A), 3rd v Blackwood (A) 4th x Newport (H). Sunday: 1st XI v St Fagans (H) (Welsh Cup quarter-final).

The club would like to extend its thanks to sponsors David Baker and Co, Curo, Churngold and Quilter Financial Advisers for their continued support.