MONMOUTH under nines kicked off their season in the best possible way by being the leading club at the Pentwyn Festival last Sunday.

The youngsters began with a convincing win over Brecon, then held their nerve to beat the home side in a game that threatened to go away from them at one point. Not even a narrow loss against an Invitation XI could take the gloss off an excellent day.

Captains Patrick Stubbs and Lauren Maguire led the way with wickets and runs, while Hattie Brennan, guesting as an over-aged player, was the leading wicket-taker. New boys Isaac and Oscar Evans played vital roles in the win over Brecon and Owen Hinds added runs to his safe hands behind the stumps. Megan Maguire and Bella Wilton both bowled well, reward for their hard work in pre-season training. All-rounders Sam Brennan and William Wilton were pivotal to the teams success, putting in their usual top class performances.

Coach Liam Stubbs was pleased with the result and looked forward to a good season with the young players. “Monmouth junior section are in a very good place at the moment,” he said.

“Players have been making a real effort to improve their game over the last few months and results are reflecting this all the way through the junior teams from under nines to under 15s.

“We are hugely committed to the Herefordshire under nines league, but want to strengthen our links with clubs in Wales by taking part in a selection of these festivals when possible. Our players draw praise wherever they go, not just for their standard of cricket, but also for their exemplary behaviour and the great spirit with which they play the game. I’m very proud of them, and hope that we can continue the improvement we have shown in recent years.”

Anyone interested in playing cricket for Monmouth this year, young or old should contact Jon Despontin at [email protected] for more details.