AN excellent all-round team performance saw Monmouth seconds record their first win of the season at home against Monkswood.

Skipper Rick Parkes won the toss and elected to bat, and Monmouth progressed steadily to 49 before the loss of the first wicket.  

Accurate bowling from Monkswood threatened to restrict the progress of the innings at times, but contributions from Ian Morgan (46), Jake Bowley (60 not out), Martin Newell (30) and Liam Stubbs (whose 22 included a huge 6 over long-on) saw Monmouth finish on a respectable 173 -5.

Monkswood's reply got off to a flyer at 13-0 after two overs, but thereafter the home side's opening bowling attack got into its stride, with a hostile spell from Richard Shaw (17-2) and plenty of swing from Luke Bowley (19-2, both wickets caught and bowled).

Monmouth continued to make in-roads into the Monkswood batting thanks to spells from Aled Jones (14-3), Andy Bowley (17-1) and Martin Newell (19-2) and excellent performances in the field, including catches for Tom Jones, Andy Bowley and George Stephens and wicket-keeping from man-of-the-match Jake Bowley.

A final flurry of wickets saw Monkswood tumble from 86-5 in the 33rd over to 97 all-out in the 39th, as Monmouth finished with a comfortable 76-run win.