MONMOUTH Cricket Club will be returning to the Welsh pyramid after a 20-year exile.

The border town have been accepted into Division 3 of the Thomas, Carroll Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League.

Monmouth will be joining newly-promoted Pontymister and Dinas Powys in a 10-team Division 3 in 2012.

Monmouth have played outside the Welsh structure since their move to the Marches League in 1993.

They won the Marches league and cup double in 2003, 2004 and 2005 before switching to the Worcestershire County League in 2006.

Chairman Martin Newell said his club members were thrilled to be back in the Welsh fold.

“Our decision to apply to the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League was agreed unanimously by our members at a packed EGM last month.

“We heard the news of our acceptance yesterday morning - so it's all happened very quickly.

“We are very thrilled at having been accepted into the fold and excited about the prospect of meeting old friends and making some new ones.

“But, most importantly of all, we look forward to giving everyone a warm welcome to Monmouth Cricket Club.

“We have some good people at our club, including Mike Turner, the former chief executive of the Celtic Crusaders.”

Monmouth joined the Worcestershire County League in 2006, gaining promotion to Division 2 in their first season.

They have competed in Division 2 for the past five years, finishing third in 2010.

“We are sad to be resigning from the Worcestershire League because it is a very good standard and a very well-run league. We cannot praise Chris Marsh at the Worcestershire County League highly enough for all he has done for us,” said Newell.

“But we are a Welsh club and playing in the Cricket Wales bracket is a very exciting prospect as we look to develop our youngsters.

"Our last major honour in Welsh senior cricket was a Gwent League title success in 1990.

"Dave Wilding was our first-team captain back then, and strangely enough, he will be captaining our second team in our return season.

“We've got excellent facilities at Monmouth Sports Ground, a growing youth structure and our ground was highly commended in the Worcestershire League end-of-season awards.”

Newell said Monmouth had some experienced players, including David Teague, who has previously played at Newport, and Jonathan Roberts.

They also have Wales Under-15 batsman Matthew Jones in their ranks.

Newell said: “This is an exciting time for Monmouth Cricket Club - we will also be moving our junior section from the Herefordshire Youth League to the Monmouthshire Building Society Junior League for the new season. We have around 10 young players who will be involved in winter coaching with Gwent Young Cricketers.”

Monmouth Cricket Club are the home ground for the Welsh Association for Cricketers with a Disability.

Newell thanked league chairman Paul Morgan, secretary Richard Thomas and Monmouthshire County Council's Tim Bradfield for supporting the club's application.