LEADERS Monmouth CC will be aiming to strengthen their position at the top of the Forest of Dean Hundred League tonight (Wednesday, June 10) against sixth-placed Parkend at the Sports Ground (6pm).

Ben Pilot’s midweek side head the Hundred League ladder after making an impressive start to the new campaign with five successive victories, including last week’s 10-wicket win over bottom side Ross-on-Wye.

Monmouth, sponsored by Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, will be hoping to overcome last season’s disappointment when they finished top of the ladder but lost in the knockout final to Cinderford St John’s.

Skipper Pilot was in scintillating form with the bat last Wednesday, hammering an unbeaten 71 from just 25 balls, making him the league’s leading run-maker so far this season with 178 runs.

In reply to Ross-on-Wye’s 118-6 from their 100 balls, Pilot laid into the visitors’ bowling in brutal fashion, crashing 11 fours and three sixes.

Sharing an unbroken opening stand with Matt Jones (37 not out), the duo powered Monmouth to the target with 44 deliveries to spare.

Earlier in the evening, Charlie Bowden (43) and captain Michael Willis (26 not out) were the mainstays of the Ross innings.

Sam Uttley was Monmouth’s most successful bowler, claiming 2-17, backed by Aled Jones (1-15), Joby George (1-17), Pilot (1-18) and Monty Clarke (1-18), while William Wilton, Ellie Potter-Irwin, Pablo Nayager and Callum Uttley all delivered tidy stints.

Nayager, Sam Uttley and Pilot held catches and wicketkeeper Andrew Dobbie impressed behind the stumps.

Meanwhile, Monmouth 1st XI travel to face Ponthir 2nds this Friday in a re-arranged quarter-final tie in the Macey Bowl (6pm).

And the club has a social fixture scheduled for the same night at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School (6pm).

Rather frustratingly, Monmouth’s three teams were thwarted by the wet weather last Saturday, with their league fixtures washed out without a ball bowled.

Monmouth 1sts have made a promising start since promotion last summer and are joint-top of South East Wales 6 with TAW.

Peter Keay’s side have won three matches and lost once, with two abandonments, from their opening six fixtures.

In one of the very few local games to go ahead at the weekend, Goodrich 2nds won by seven wickets at home to Dymock 2nds in Gloucestershire Division 8.

The visitors scored 115-9 off their reduced 30 overs before the hosts reached 116-3 with 2.1 overs to spare.

Meanwhile, Monmouth travel to play eighth-placed Penarth 3rds this Saturday (June 13) after their home clash against Upper Rhondda fell victim to the rain.

The 2nds will be aiming to get their Division 12 campaign back on track this Saturday with a home derby against Llanarth 2nds at the Sports Ground.

And, Monmouth 3rds travel to play Malpas 4ths at Rougemont School in Llantarnam in Division 15, all starting at 12.30pm.

To get involved in Monmouth Cricket Club, contact chairman Mike Maguire on [email protected] or for specific information on women's and girls' cricket, email [email protected]

Other fixtures this Saturday include – Chepstow 1sts v Pentyrch 1sts, Ponthir 1sts v Chepstow 2nds, Chepstow 3rds v Vale 3rds, Arcadians 2nds v Penallt & Redbrook 1sts, Slimbridge 1sts v St Briavels 1sts, Llanarth 1sts v Lisvane 2nds, Goodrich 1sts v Stroud 2nds, Bream 1sts v Goodrich 2nds,

Wednesday night (June 10) also sees Penallt & Redbrook visit Ruardean Hill in the Forest Hundred, Goodrich visit champions Cinderford and Tintern travel to Ross.