MONMOUTH Cricket Club booked their place in the Forest of Dean Hundred Championship final with a 53-run win at neighbouring Penallt & Redbrook.

Ben Pilot’s midweek team will face Lydney in the showpiece 100 ball a side final at Monmouth Sports Ground this Sunday (July 19), from 4pm.

Lydney will start as favourites after an eight-wicket win against the hosts in the ladder stage last month thanks to Australian ace Ben Ferguson (60) and Jack O’Connell (41).

This Sunday promises to be a festival of cricket at the Sports Ground, with Goodrich also taking on Ruardean Hill in the Forest Hundred Plate final at 1pm.

Monmouth, sponsored by Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, avenged their ladder stage loss to Penallt & Redbrook seven days earlier, defeating the cross-border villagers at Pelham fields in their semi-final last week.

Harry Hughes (32), Ben Lander (26), Matthew Jones (26), Osian Jones (21 not out) and Pilot (19) all contributed to lift Monmouth to a challenging 160-5 from their 100 balls.

Penallt & Redbrook, who finished second in the ladder stage, one place ahead of Monmouth, stuck to their task in the field in blistering hot conditions, with former Monmouth favourite Rajesh snapping up 3-29.

Captain Vipin Sathy (1-30) and Joby George (1-31) picked up a wicket each for the hosts, who have been an excellent addition to the midweek competition this term.

The impressive Sam Uttley (3-16) was Monmouth’s most successful bowler as the visitors restricted Penallt and Redbrook to 107-7 from their 100 deliveries.

Cameron Lee (19) top scored for Penallt, while Akash Jeevan (13) and Sathy (13) also reached double figures but were removed at crucial times.

Skipper Pilot claimed 2-12, Gareth Jones took 1-10 and Osian Jones also claimed a wicket as Monmouth reached the Championship final for the second season in succession.

Last season, having topped the ladder, they lost in the main final to Cinderford St Johns.

However, the reigning-champions, who topped the ladder this time, slipped to a five-wicket home defeat to Lydney in their semi-final last week.

After posting 121-7 from 100 balls, Cinderford battled hard but Lydney reached the target with 29 deliveries to spare.

Meanwhile, impressive performances from Jack Lewis (81 not out) and Jack Waldis (4-25) helped Goodrich to a six-wicket win at Aston Ingham near Ross in their Plate semi-final.

Angus Bartlett with 94 led Aston to 183-6, firing six sixes and 10 fours, but Lewis’ unbeaten 81 from 38 balls, including seven sixes and seven fours, and 55 from Harry Porter, who smacked five sixes, swept Goodrich to their target with four deliveries remaining.

In the other Plate semi-final, Ruardean Hill Hurricanes secured a 46-run victory at Parkend.

Adam Underwood (61) and Sam Skelton (44) and Finley Jones (35 not out) propelled Ruardean to 170-3 from their 100 balls, Jake Peterson taking 2-20 from his 20 balls.

Parkend skipper Robbie Jones hit 59 in reply, but tight bowling and sharp fielding from Ruardean limited them to 124-7 in reply, Adam Cole taking 2-17, Freddie Gwilliam 2-14 and Daniel Matthews, Zachary White and Gruffyd Jones one apiece.

Forest of Dean Hundred League finals day at Monmouth Sports Ground this Sunday, July 19: 1pm – Plate final – Goodrich v Ruardean Hill.4pm – Championship final – Monmouth v Lydney.