THE county connection helped fire Glamorgan at Edgbaston, as Monmouthshire’s Ben Kellaway fired 139 and teenager Tom Norton – fresh from his Championship debut hat-trick heroics – took more wickets against Warwickshire.

Glam’s victory push was ultimately thwarted by Monday’s rain, but they always had the edge after Kellaway’s first innings century knock, which came after the visitors had suffered two ducks without scoring.

The Chepstow CC 22-year-old added 194 in 52 overs with captain Kiran Carlson (85) for the third wicket, reaching his century after 185 balls, including a six into the Hollies Stand.

And the England Lions cap went on to total 18 fours in his 242-ball innings before holing out from a devilish lifter.

Kellaway, who scored a half century in Australia for the Lions last winter, told BBC Sport Wales: “I feel like my batting has been in a pretty good place at the start of the season.

"I missed a couple of games through a bit of injury, but I still felt like my game was in a good place.

"I've had a couple of starts in this first block, but it felt really nice to be able to convert one today.

"I think they bowled really well throughout the day. They were relentless, especially with the new ball in both of those spells.

"It was just about me and Kieran trying to put a partnership together there and really stick it out.

"Luckily, we came out on the right end of that and put together a really nice stand to get us back in a good position on the first day."

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Abergavenny CC product Norton, who became the youngest ever hat-trick Championship debutant in the previous week’s win over Somerset, added 29 off 44 balls coming in 10th as Glam reached 360 all out.

The teenage seamer then starred with the ball taking four wickets for 48 off 13.5 overs and a catch as the Bears were dismissed for 252, with Kellaway also snaring a wicket with his spin.

Kellaway then continued his form with the bat adding 42 as Glam reached 259 all out in the second innings to establish a 367-run lead.

But the hosts then batted to 100-2 before the rain scuppered any more play.

Meanwhile, Chepstow CC suffered three abandonments on Saturday thanks to the weather.

The 1sts reached 167-9 in 36 overs at Ynystawe in their South Wales Premier 2 clash before it was washed out, Kellaway’s brother James top-scoring with 43 backed by Ben Sidney-Jones with 32.

The 2nds hosted Brecon 1sts, but the visitors only reached 66-3 before stumps, Bruno Chitnis taking two wickets and Rowan Snell one.

Elsewhere in the Wye Valley, Penallt & Redbrook won Saturday’s rain-hit derby at St Briavels by 68 runs after reaching 214-3 declared in 35.1 overs.

Liam Hurcombe hit a magnificent unbeaten 103 off 76 balls, including 15 fours and a six, backed by Cameron Lee with 46, skipper Kamaal Mitha with 27 and Graham Emerson 13.

St Briavels were set a rain-revised 220 off 30 overs, but were dismissed for 151 with five balls left, David Crozier top-scoring with 37, Ed Richfield adding an unbeaten 22 and Tyrone Hoskins 21 and Darryl Reynolds 17.

Graham Hyde, including a caught and bowled, Vipin Sathy and Rajesh SR took two wickets apiece backed by single wickets from Geoff Eaves, Cameron Pardington and Myles Ruck.