LLANARTH CC hosted Radyr on the weekend and the visitors were in confident mood having won their last three matches by 10 wicket margins

Dennis Heath won the toss for a seventh consecutive time and took first dibs on a hard and bouncy track as the Trees hoped to build a total that would at least force the visitors to use more than two batsmen!

Llanarth were soon in trouble as Mark Baxter edged behind and a pair of Dewfield ducks saw the innings slide to 33-3 from 12 overs. It looked even worse when Eddie Butler (35) pulled a hamstring in taking a quick single, it was an injury he claimed never to have suffered before during his distinguished rugby career however it did force him to hit out whilst carrying on in a runner-assisted innings.

As Butler bunted David Lomax (60) was settling in and unfurled some text book cover drives to keep the run rate ticking up, though eventually Butler's luck ran out and he was replaced at the crease by Heath (34) who continued the counter-attack in a better than a run a ball knock.

Lomax had been the glue that held the innings together and when he perished at 158-5 the fielding team thought they had an end open. However Heath's innings along with some outstanding, lower order inventiveness from Keith Spencer (22) and Eian Johnson, the latter unveiling a ramp stroke from the Jos Buttler handbook, ensured Llanarth kept the momentum going as they posted 217 all out before a terrific tea was taken.

With the visitors recent run of punishing victories the Trees fielders were keen to inspect the impressive Radyr opening partnership for themselves but they weren't allowed to view it for too long as Raja Banaras (2-24) delivered an exceptional yorker to break it second ball of the innings. After spending the best part of a month padded up the Radyr number three finally got a chance but he too found his stumps re-arranged in Banaras's very next over, the away dressing room was suddenly a hive of activity as batters tried to find kit they hadn't used for awhile as they slumped to 4-2. There was only one further breakthrough by drinks but with the score at 65-3 and another 152 still needed, at in excess of 7.5 runs per over, the Trees supped their squash contentedly.

Post-drinks Radyr tried to press the accelerator but spin twins Chris Powell and Tom Vaughan (2-23), allied with defensive field settings, continued to apply pressure until the batsmen cracked to the tune of a c&b and lbw to Vaughan. With the result in Llanarth's back pocket there then began a game of cat and mouse as both teams tried to secure additional bonus points. The lower order batted well and withstood everything until Heath forced a run out but no wickets beyond that could be captured and the innings closed on 184-7 to give Llanarth victory by 33 runs.

At the half-way stage of the season the Trees' 5-1 win/loss record puts them in second place, trailing only Pontnewynydd (5-0) with all other teams having registered at least three defeats. Next week Llanarth hope to continue their good form with another home game, this time against Pencoed.