ROSS CC made hay in the sunshine securing a 123-run friendly win over a Monmouth XI on Saturday.

Paul Franklin was quickly back in the pavilion for one, but three unbeaten half centuries helped fire the hosts to a thumping 251-5 off just 30 overs.

Opener Ben Rimington fired 51 off 51 balls before retiring not out, including eight fours, sharing a great partnership with Herefordshire Women's captain Chloe Tingle, who scored 51 off 41 balls, including nine fours, before taking her leave.

Adam Parkes also struck an unbeaten 27, pairing up with Lewis Mallon, who fired 53 retired not out off just 20 balls, 48 of the runs coming through 12 fours.

Monmouth then saw out their overs, but the Ross attack never allowed them the freedom to challenge the target, with the visitors only reaching 128-6.

Charlie Bowden, who also scored 17, took two wickets for 13 off seven overs, Adam Parkes 2-17-3, Albert Johnson 1-21-5 and Jack Bowden 1-20-8.

But in league action, Newent 1sts lost by 53 runs away to Frampton-on-Severn in Gloucestershire 3.

The visitors’ attack looked to have done a decent job dismissing the hosts for 203 with three balls of the 40 overs left, Liam Devries taking two wickets and seven other bowlers – Will Trumper, Jack Cowles, Paul Carter, Paddy Thompson, Ollie Curtis, Douglas Page and Mike Mason – taking a wicket apiece.

But with openers Cowles and Thompson out for 11 and 22 respectively, the Newent batters got bogged down, only Ollie Corston with an unbeaten 46 and Trumper with 11 also making double figures and the visitors limping to 150-9 in reply.

The Lions roared though, winning by three wickets at home to Cheltenham Civil Service 3rds after chasing down a 40-over target of 234-3.

Ben Allard and Nathaniel Gourlay took wickets for Newent alongside a Charlie Lacy run out, as host skipper James Lewis fired 142 not out.

And 86 from Wayne Phillips and an unbeaten 68 from Allard then saw them to 236-6 with 3.4 overs to spare.

But the 3rds were downed by nine wickets in a low-scoring affair away to Kingsholm 3rds, all out for 87 in 32 overs before the hosts raced to 89-1 in 16 overs.

Huntley marched on at the top of Gloucestershire 7A however, beating Longborough & Sezincote by 81 runs at home, mainly thanks to a brilliant 120 not out from Charlie Gayther and five wickets from Alex Gray.

His 90-ball knock included three sixes and 22 fours as the hosts put on 247-8 off 40 overs, Lee Robinson also contributing 23.

And Gray’s 5-57-8, supported by Harrison Vickery with 2-12-4 and single strikes from Jon Green, Jason Saunders and Gayther then dismissed the visitors for 167 in 34 overs.

Richard Lerego fired 91 for Fownhope Strollers as they compiled a sizeable 266-7 off 45 overs at home to Ledbury 1sts, supported by Adam Evans with 37, Alex Bromhead 31 and George Wood-Cole 23.

But despite three wickets each for Corey Terry and Craig Cornish, it all proved in vain for the villagers as the town side then reached 270-7 with nine balls to spare, leaving Strollers second from bottom in Worcestershire 7 South.

Fixtures this Saturday include – Ross v Gregson, Newent 1sts v Woodmancote 1sts, Charlton Kings 4ths v Newent Lions, Newent 3rds v Arcadians 3rds, Huntley 2nds v Cinderford 2nds, Barnards Green 3rds v Fownhope.