MONMOUTH Cricket Club's 1st XI climbed to first place in the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League Division 3 on Saturday after a rain affected 28 run Duckworth-Lewis victory over recently relegated Ebbw Vale at the Sports Ground.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Monmouth's innings was disrupted on four separate occasions for rain, and the early momentum was with the visitors as they restricted Monmouth to 29-2.

After a rebuilding job by Matt Jones (36) and Dave Croudace (39) the game was evenly poised as captain Ben Turner arrived at the crease with the score on 106-4 after 22 overs.

However, a fantastic 112 run partnership between Turner and Liverpool University student A Stubbs (54 not out) took the Monmouth score to 218 before Turner was stumped for a hard hitting 66 which included five fours and three sixes.

From then on some late fireworks from A Hansraj (23 not out off 14 balls) took the Monmouth total to a respectable looking 258-5 off their allotted 45 overs.

At the tea interval the Duckworth-Lewis recalculations showed that 12 overs had been lost and as such Ebbw Vale's target was adjusted to 213 off 33 overs.

The visitors' innings got off to the worst possible start as former Malpas opening bowler N Smith (3-29 off 7) removed the dangerous R Blake for a duck, N Pepper Jnr for 19 and the imposing S Waqar for 29 to limit the reply to 51-3 off the first 10 overs.

In truth from then on Ebbw Vale struggled to keep up with the required run rate and, despite contributions from Gwent under-15 captain D Clarke (29) and J Nancarrow (23), the innings closed on 184-9 off their allotted 33 overs.

Once again Monmouth were indebted to Wales under-13 spinner Ben Davies (4-47 off 7) for applying the required pressure, with all the bowlers well supported by the sides best fielding performance of the season with catches for A Hansraj (2), A Roberts (2), D Croudace, A Stubbs and wicket-keeper J Despontin.

The result secured Monmouth 20 hard fought points.

With title challengers Pentwyn losing at Llandaff Fields against Cardiff Gymkhana, Monmouth have overtake them and moved into first place as we approach the half way point of the season next Saturday when Machen visit the Sports Ground.