MONMOUTH have marked their return to the Welsh pyramid structure by achieving ECB Clubmark status.

The area's cricket development officer, Steve Watkins, has visited the border club and given their Clubmark application the green-light.

Despite a rain-ravaged summer, it has been an exciting time off the field for Monmouth, who rejoined Cricket Wales structure in January after a 20-year exile.

Club welfare officer Ian Morgan has just passed his UKCC Level Two Certificate in Coaching and now hopes to establish links with primary schools and junior groups in the area.

And their first level one female coach, Tracy Hodgson, the sister of ex-England spinner Ashley Giles, would like to explore the possibilities of establishing a girls' cricket team at Monmouth.

Monmouth run junior teams from under-9 to under-15 levels and regularly attract between 80 and 100 youngsters to their weekly training sessions.

The club have created a five-year development plan and, to achieve their goals, would like a permanent net facility at the Sports Ground.

ECB consultant Mike Turner visited the club in June and Monmouth have now applied for funding from the Welsh Assembly's Community Facilities and Activities Programme (CFAP).

Monmouth's two senior teams are second in their respective sections of the Thomas, Carroll Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League Division Three.

But with so many league matches having been washed out across all divisions, there may not be promotion or relegation at the end of the season.

Monmouth's first team travel to Whitchurch Heath this Saturday (11th August), while the club's second team host Whitchurch Heath 2nds at the Sports Ground.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Monmouth's matches against Pontymister last weekend were rained off without a ball bowled.

For more details about Monmouth Cricket Club, call vice-chairman Ian Morgan on 07967 305334 or email [email protected]">[email protected]