Monmouth hope to bounce back after cup exit

Paul Swingwood's men hope their disappointing third-round exit at Division One Blackwood will spur them on in their bid for promotion from Thomas, Carroll Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League Division Three.

Monmouth are lying third in the Division Three table after a rain-hit opening-half to their first season back in the Welsh league structure.

Monmouth, sponsored by JD Wetherspoon, will be hosting Dinas Powys at the Sports Ground this Saturday (1pm start), following last weekend's wash-out at struggling Llantwit Fardre.

In last Thursday's re-arranged Welsh Cup clash at Blackwood, David Teague hit a battling 38 but Monmouth laboured to just 91-9 in 20 overs.

Craig Herring cracked 49 in reply as higher-graded Blackwood cruised to victory and sealed a home match against Newport.

The match balls were sponsored by club president John Wigmore and The Jewel Balti.

Meanwhile, Monmouth Cricket Club would like to thank all those who helped out, particularly Katrine Roberts, Chris Morgan and Ted Skipp, in last Friday's rain-hit Gwent Under-14 county representative fixture against Cardiff and Vale at the Sports Ground.

Monmouthshire's cricket development officer Steve Watkins and community coach Lee Herring were among the visitors last Friday, who watched Monmouth Cricket Club successfully host their first county youth fixture for many years.

Former Monmouth cricketer Alan Burkitt, who now plays for Ponthir, was 'on the clubÕs honours board in the pavilion.

There was a good crowd at the ground to watch Monmouth School pupils Jamie Norman, Mataius Kefelas and Hywel Rose in action for Gwent, whose victory bid was eventually thwarted by the rain.

The covers were hauled on and off the pitch around a dozen times during a stop-start day as Gwent dismissed Cardiff and Vale for 106.

And Gwent were well placed at 24-0 from nine overs when, rather frustratingly, heavy rain washed out the match at around 6pm.