MONMOUTH CC's midweek side secured an 11-run win to go top of their Forest Hundred group, leapfrogging hosts Cinderford.

The visitors fired 124-9 off their 100 balls, Ben Pilot hitting six fours and a six in a blistering 42 from 21 balls, backed by Jake Teague with an unbeaten 29.

Monmouth CC's Ben Pilot had a good week with the bat
Monmouth CC's Ben Pilot fired 42 off 21 balls. Photo: Monmouth CC (Ben Pilot)

And they then restricted Cinderford to 113-4, Eddie Atkinson, Benjamin McCluskey, Osian Jones and Pilot with a wicket apiece.

But the rain wiped out most of the weekend's cricket, Monmouth 1st XI skipper Gareth Jones scoring 34 and Pilot 29 not out as they reached 110-4 in the 20th over at Llantwit Fardre before the game was abandoned.

The 2nds were also rained off on the Sports Ground after just four overs, with Abergavenny 4ths on 13-1.

But the 3rds won at home to Ponthir 4ths on Chippenham, securing a five-wicket victory.

Theo Minnie and Jack Mallen took two wickets apiece, backed by solo strikes for Pablo Nagayer and Lauren Maguire and a Paul Mallen run out as the visitors were limited to 133-7 off 30 overs.

The hosts were soon 18-3 in reply, but an 81-run stand between Jack Mallen who scored 31 and Harry Williams put them on course for victory, before the latter with 42 and Nagayer with an unbeaten 23 helped them to 134-5 with nearly half their overs (14.2) in hand.

USK CC won a friendly thriller by a single run on Sunday as they just repelled the charge of visitors Penydarren Country XI.

Henry Taylor and Charlie Walters made their senior debuts for Usk, as Matt Hancock scored 46 not out and Ryan Hancock 43, backed by Daniel Cordell with 37, Matthew Williams 27, Taylor 21 and Damian Harvey 17, setting an impressive 258-6 target off 40 overs.

But Penydarren charged hard at the Usk total, which needed some tireless work in the field, Ryan Price taking 3-59-8, Tal Parry 1-47-7, Williams a miserly 0-18-8 and Luke Barry 0-38-6 as the game went down to the final ball, with the visitors left stranded on 257-5.

Usk's midweek team scored 220-5 off 18 overs at Kings CC, Newport, Jarrod Bluck firing 69 off 33 balls, including eight sixes, Elliot Doyle 65 off 28 balls, including six sixes and five fours, and Joe Peacock 46 off 21 balls, including two sixes and four fours.

But the target was overhauled with seven balls left for the loss of just one wicket (221-1).

One other team able to play on Saturday were Llanarth 2nds, but they fell 65 runs short at home to Friends Union 2nds, who reached 207-2 off 25 overs, Mark Batt with a wicket and Gerry Stentiford a run out.

David Griffiths top-scored with 31 in reply, backed by Chris Page with 23 not out, Andrew Hilditch with an unbeaten 21 and Stentiford with 20, as the hosts reached 142-6 in reply.

Monmouth CC Women beat Sudbrook
Monmouth CC Women beat Sudbrook. Photo: Sudbrook CC (Monmouth CC)

Three wickets for Kelly Chilton, and two apiece for Penny Boyle and Dannie Stone also helped Monmouth Women’s hardball team to a three-wicket win over visitors Sudbrook on Sunday, bowling them out for 73 in 24.3 overs before reaching 74-6 in the 23rd over, Stone and Nadia Mackey joint top-scoring with 18, backed by Lauren Maguire with 13.

Monmouth CC U11s
Monmouth CC U11s (Monmouth CC)

The club’s U11s are also through to the Gwent Plate final, beating Llanarth by seven runs after scoring 99-7 off 20 overs before limiting the hosts to 92-6.