SW PREMIER

Powell had dismissed Steffan Roberts and Lorenzo Machado for ducks.

It suited Newport more than Neath and Matt Norris’ side remain in pole position to win back the title with only two weeks of the season remaining.

Following their trip to Bridgend they go to finish off the season with a game at Mumbles on August 25.

Elsewhere in Division One, only 26 overs were possible at Ammanford – where Bridgend Town were 26-1 when rain also forced that game to be abandoned. The other scheduled games Pontarddulais v St Fagans, Port Talbot Town v current champions Cardiff and Ynysygerwn v Mumbles were all cancelled without a ball being bowled.

Ynysygerwn remain bottom of the pile with two to play.

In Division Two leaders Clydach had their game with Carmarthen Wanderers cancelled – as were the scheduled matches at Llanelli and Newport Fugitives against Penarth and Tata Steel respectively.

Clydach, with two matches to play, still have the edge on Penarth although the latter do have a game in hand and could set up a grandstand finale to the season. Elsewhere Ynystawe were go- ing along nicely on 62-0 when their game at Malpas was abandoned after just 11 overs while only seven overs of play were possible at Panteg, who were 29-0 against Swansea before that game also fell foul of the weather.

Malpas and Llanelli are the sides currently in the bottom two and in danger of the drop. Unsurprisingly the weather also decimated the East and West 2nd XI Divisions.

They did get going at Panteg, who had bowled Newport out for 92 and were 1-0 in reply when rain finally called a halt to proceedings after only two overs of the second innings.

Penarth and Neath lead the way in the respective East and West Divisions.