LLANARTH chalked up their third win on a trot against Blaengarw last weekend to maintain their unbeaten record.
Winning the toss and bowling first, Llanarth got off to a dreadful start, losing both opening batsmen with only four runs on the board.
Chris and Gareth Powell entered the fray and managed to successfully repair the damage with a partnership of 72, before they were both dismissed with the score on 103-4.
The two opening bowlers for Blaengarw proved to be the most effective, as following their replacement, the new batting duo of Simon Wharton and Dennis Heath began to tear the Blaengarw attack apart with a fifth wicket partnership of 109.
Wharton played the major role, scoring a splendid 100 not out in just 70 balls, whilst Heath, not to be outdone, started slowly before hitting 31 from only 13 balls before he was out with the score on 212-6.
Wharton's century came from the last ball of the Llanarth innings as they finished on 248-7.
In reply the Llanarth bowlers had the Blaengarw batsmen in trouble from the word go, with the first wicket falling with the score on seven.
They were made to struggle against good quick bowling from Whistance and especially young Euan Johnson - against whom they had no answer as he took 4-28 from his ten overs.
When Hardwick, who scored a century in Blaengarw's last match, was out first ball to Whistance, they soon capitulated and shut-up shop on 132-9.
All in all it was an excellent all round performance by Llanarth, dominated by Wharton's unbeaten century and young Johnson's 4-28.
LLANARTH seconds turned their season round in spectacular fashion in the most unpromising circumstances on bank holiday Saturday.
Already weakened by the absence of many players due to family and holiday commitments at the start of the holiday weekend, a further series of mishaps saw them travel to Llantwit Fardre with just nine players.
Asked to bat first Llanarth's openers Peter Francis and Keith Spencer repeated their performance from the previous game by posting a 50 partnership to give the innings a solid base.
After their departure Matt Dunn and 16 year old Tom O'Neil batted well together,even if the running left something to be desired taking the score past 100 before Dunn was bowled by Fardre seamer Huw Thomas for 38.
Undeterred O'Neil pressed on with new partner Dave Griffiths and raised the tempo as the innings drew to a close hitting four fours and a six in an excellent 57 not out.
The final total of 185 achieved by consistent scoring with all six batsmen getting into double figures was respectable enough, but hardly ungettable on a good pitch and with only nine fielders.
It was in the second innings however that Llanarth really excelled. Needing early wickets to put the opposition on the back foot Piers Bisson produced a marvelous spell of swing bowling taking 3 for 22 in eight overs.
Then it was the turn of the forty something spin twins Mike Woodward and Jonty Jones to come to the party with three and two wickets respectively as the Llantwit innings began to subside.
It was only Huw Thomas who was able to put up any significant resistance making an aggressive 46 to add to his three wickets before being last man out.
With Dave Griffiths also picking up two wickets all the bowlers were rewarded for their efforts which were superbly backed up by an excellent team performance by the fielders.
It was however young Ben Woodward who was the undoubted star in the field tirelessly chasing and covering he stopped many potential boundaries turned twos into ones and took two fine catches.
He covered so much ground that Llanarth quite forgot that they only had nine fielders and Llantwit were convinced that they had twelve!
A 70 run victory with a nine man team is extraordinary by any standards.
WITH most of the older boys otherwise engaged on bank holiday Sunday, it was a young Llanarth team composed mostly of Under 13s and 14s and a couple of 12 year olds who were assembled to take on Usk at the Llanarth Cricket Ground.
Batting first, the Usk openers Rodden and Stevens started well with the burly Rodden hitting the ball extremely hard.
Despite good bowling especially by Charles Griffin, Llanarth were unable to make a breakthrough until the 11th over when Rodden was finally bowled for 41.
This brought the equally strong Charlie Watkins to the crease who took up where Rodden had left off finding the boundary with great regularity.
At the other end however his team-mates were having more difficulty scoring and the introduction into the attack of County under 13 player Hamish Matthews first slowed the scoring and then produced a remarkable hat-trick with all three batsmen stumped by Peter Downing!
Although Watkins batted through the innings for a creditable 38 not out the lack of any meaningful contribution from the other end meant that Llanarth were able to contain the score to a very gettable 107-4
In reply skipper Peter Downing led from the front scoring freely and taking the score to 33 in the sixth over before the pace and accuracy of Charlie Watkins accounted for Matthews and the even younger Matt Doyle.
Downing however continued to push the score along in partnership with Jake Groves until he was caught in the deep for 39 essaying another big shot.
With the score on 81 the bulk of the work had been done but it still required a mature innings by Groves to shepherd the side home seeing off the menace of the returning Watkins before knocking off the remaining runs in a superbly judged knock of 34 not out,
MONKSWOOD CC'S first team played Sully thirds and batted first on a beautiful day at the Beaufort Arms.
Glyn Roberts scored an assured 77 not out and guided Monkswood to a score of 239 for seven.
Other notable contributions were from Richard Brock with 51 and captain Rod Jones 23.
Sully never really looked like getting close to 239 and finished on 160 for six.
Matty Malson picked up two wickets as did vice captain Gareth Trumper. A good day at the office but there will surely be tougher tests ahead if Monkswood are to achieve their goal of promotion this season.
Monkswood thirds entertained St Fagans at Llanfapley and although they lost, Monkswood's young team put up a good fight.
The experienced Mike Williams led the way with 24 and Colin Hamer scored 23 but it was the batting of George Collins, Dan Pilley and Rhys Hancock that caught the eye.
Although the total of 135 proved not enough, mainly as nine catches were dropped, Monkswood's future looks rosy to judge by the talent on display from these young players.