Newport Cricket Club End Another Successful Season

Macey (Gwent) Shield

The 2022 season finished for Newport Cricket Club with a Double Cup Final win, as firstly they beat Usk at Usk by 50 runs in the Macey (Gwent) Shield followed by an 87 run win against  Macey (Glamorgan) Cup Holders, Whitchurch Heath, in the Macey SE Wales Final.

In the Gwent Final, Newport won the toss and elected to bat and openers Josh Waughington and Imran Hassan laid the perfect foundations for a useful score putting on 83 for the first wicket before Hassan was run out for 33 (four 4’s & 1 six). Waughington continued to bat with great authourity, before he was also run out for an excellent 48 (8 fours) off just 35 balls, with the Newport score 91-2 off 12 overs.

Morgan Bevans was joined by Mujahid Ilyas and they plundered the Usk attack with a partnership of 54 in less than 6 overs. Bevans scored 28 off 28 balls but it was Ilyas with an unbeaten 45 in just 24 balls that really hurt Usk, with the Newport innings closing on 164 – 5 off their 20 overs. The pick of the Usk bowlers was Mika Ekstrom who took 3 late wickets for 27 runs.

The Usk reply was soon in total disarray slumping to 16 – 5 off 6 overs, against the superb Newport attack of Mike Clayden and Haznain Nawaz. A few minor partnerships followed but the game was already over at 62 -9 before a final flourish by the Usk tailenders took the final Usk score to 114 – 9, leaving Newport winners by 50 runs. An impressive Newport performance saw Clayden take 2 – 5, Mohammad Akhtar 2 – 9 and Man of the Match Josh Waughington 2 – 19.

Macey (SE Wales) Shield

As Gwent Macey Winners, Newport played Whitchurch Heath who won the toss for choice of venue. On the day however, there was no stopping Newport from doing the double.

Newport electing to bat were in no mood to release their grip on the trophy they had won a year previously. An early wicket of Imran Hassan gave Whitchurch early hope, but when Morgan Bevans joined Glamorgan legend Mark Wallace, Newport quickly gained control. Wallace who had scored an unbeaten century against Llanarth in the semi final was again giving a masterclass of T20 batting. The pair had put on 75 together before Bevans was out for 32 (25 balls). Wallace was still in command, as he was joined by young prospect Jack Hope-Bell. Excellent placement and fine running between the wickets was a feature of the partnership, which saw Hope-Bell score a very good 40 in 32 balls as the score rattled up to 164 – 3 (18.3overs). Wallace (75 no) however, went on to score a magnificent century scoring 25 off the remaining 9 balls to bring up his unbeaten century and the Newport innings closed on 190 – 3 off their 20 overs. Wallace finishing on 105no (63 balls including 13 fours and 4 sixes).

Whitchurch in reply were a little shell shocked losing early wickets to young Ollie Langford   2 - 20 and Josh Aston 2 – 14, slumping to 42 – 6 (9.2 overs). Mohammad Akhtar with 3 – 20 finished the innings off with Whitchurch ending on 103 – 9.  

The two cup wins rounded off a fine season with Newport finishing 3^rd in the SWPL where young Glamorgan protégé Callum Taylor finished top of the SWPL Batting and Bowling Stats. He scored a fantastic 976 league runs at an average of 81.33, which included a top score of 196no, scoring 3 fifties and 4 hundreds.

Whilst bowling he also finished top of the SWPL Bowling Averages taking 37 wickets at an average of 18.81per wicket

Whilst disappointed to lose in the Semi Final of this year’s Welsh Cup to Port Talbot it was a memorable year for Michael Clayden & Mujihad Ilyas who scored a record Partnership of 284 runs in 229 balls in an early round game against Sudbrook

Mujahid Ilyas       165 (124 balls)  (19 fours, 3 sixes)     Michael Clayden 101 (112 balls)  (3 fours) 

Next season Newport will hope to retain all their present squad, with a few additions particularly in the bowling department. A further boost for Newport will hopefullly see the 2^nd X1 take up their place in the SEWCL Division 2. A real boost in the club’s aim to produce top young players ready for the Premier League. Please contact the club if you wish to play top club cricket.