REIGNING champions Monmouth made a successful start to the defence of their Flint & Cook Marches League Division 1 title with a convincing 66-run win over Leominster.

Opener Rob Prewett (26) set the stage for the returning David Teague and the former Glamorgan 2nd Xl player wasted no time in making an impact, lashing four sixes and three fours on his way to 47 off just 28 balls.

With Aled Jones (26), Dan Head (19) and Jon Roberts (13) all making useful contributions, Monmouth compiled 177. The Leominster bowling honours went to slow left-armer Paul Hawthorne (5-49) who received good backing from skipper Richard Finney (2-22) and Andy Dawson (2-41).

Leominster were soon struggling in reply as paceman Roberts whipped out both openers with just six on the board. Although the Palmer brothers, Russell (27) and Nick (20) staged a recovery, Roberts dismissed them both and Steve Cole to finish with 5-39.

From then on, only Finney (44) offered any resistance and the last five batsmen failed to contribute a single run between them as Leominster finished on 111.

Glangrwyney spinner Phil Bowker claimed a hat-trick as his side saw off visiting Canon Frome by 63 runs.

Bowker dismissed Matt Richards, Calvin Cottrell and George Whittaker in successive balls as, in a single over, he reduced Canon Frome from a challenging 97-5 to 101-9, concluding with the excellent figures of 7-25.

Earlier, Canon Frome's Andy Rogers was also in form with the ball, returning 6-43 as the home side reached 174 thanks to strong middle-order contributions from Ben Bowker (37), P Cornock (36) and R Jones (32).

Openers Chris Styles, whose 47 included three fours, and Dan Watkins (11) got the Canon Frome reply underway with a stand of 41 before Bowker got down to work.

Burghill & Tillington opener Mark Preece was dismissed from the last ball of his side's innings, just four runs short of a deserved century, after setting up the platform for the villagers' 60-run success at Llandrindod Wells.

Preece, who hit seven fours and three sixes, had good support from Mike Pledge (12), Liam Eagling (14) and wicket-keeper Neil Box (16) as Burghill & Tillington reached 161-7.

Pledge, who took 1-5 in nine overs, and Kingsley Morris (2-20) quickly put the home side behind the run rate with their opening burst and, despite double figure scores from Sri Lankan Kushan (17), A Wright (17), Chris Truelove (16 not out) and J Davies (14), they were only able to reach 101-7 from their allotted 45 overs.

Wellington received a harsh awakening to life in Division 1 when they were given a 10-wicket hammering by Wormelow on their debut at their temporary Pencombe headquarters.

Seamers Ian Herbert (4-22), Clive Price (3-24) and Nigel Evans (3-21) met with resistance only from Chris Fry (26) before being dismissed for just 74.

Openers Shaun Waldron (47 not out) and Jamie Langford (20 not out) knocked off the runs with little alarm.

Last season's runners-up Talgarth made a disappointing start to the new campaign when they were overturned by Goodrich by six wickets.

Talgarth made a flying start and reached 50-1 in the first 10 overs but although Neil Morris batted well for his 43 and A Jenkins contributed 31, few of their colleagues were able to build on starts and five players were dismissed for scores between 10 and 19.

Goodrich lost debutant Sam Griffiths, bowled by Glyn Harrhy (2-46) in the early stages, but were then set on the road to victory by a fine second wicket partnership of 108 between Andrew Brown (72) and Dennis Malley (35).

After they were parted, newcomer James Willetts came in and smashed three sixes in his unbeaten 35 to see Goodrich home.