LLANARTH CC are through to the semi-finals of the Lords Sunday Cup after an impressive victory over a team two divisions higher than them in the league.

Llanarth welcomed Pontymister for last weekend's quarter-final clash with 'The Trees' fancying their chances, but even though the opposition play their cricket at a higher level, they are a struggling club.

In fact this fixture in 1997 was the Macey Shield Final when Llanarth put that trophy in the cabinet for the first time, perhaps a measure of the difficulties both clubs have faced in recent times.

Pontymister took first use of the track on a sweltering day but Llanarth were keen to keep their time in the field to a minimum, and tore into an opposition clearly lacking in confidence. Andrew Spencer (2-20) carried his form on from Saturday and quickly snared both openers. Mark Baxter (2-10) got the new cherry from the top end and also weighed in with a couple of strikes.

From the depths of 17-4 Pontymister progressed to 49-4 in spite of some superb bowling from Dave Griffiths whose accuracy was positively McGrath-like. 

It took the chinaman bowling of Will Glenn (2-20) to make further inroads and when Andy Hilditch bagged the top scoring Lazar, superbly caught by Baxter displaying athleticism last seen in 2004, the end was nigh.

Gruffydd Parry (2-7) mopped up the tail including a beautiful slower ball for the final wicket and Pontymister were summarily dismissed for 79 from 24 overs.

Due to the early ending of the first innings both teams decided to play to a finish before taking tea so Glenn and Baxter were quickly padded up with instructions to sort out the 80 needed.

Glenn, however, departed in the second over to the sharpish Faisal and when Rhys Willbourn followed in the next over it was 6-2 and the Pontymister chirp was loud.

Enter coolness personified in the form of Dennis Heath to join Baxter, who needs no invitation to bat all day if necessary, and together they silenced the chatter.

By taking plenty of singles interspersed with the slapping of the occasional boundary they calmly moved towards the target.

Indeed there were no further alarms and Heath majestically pulled the winning boundary to end with 34* to Baxter's 33* with 80-2 reached in the 18th over.

Llanarth now face Pencoed or Newbridge at home in the semi-final.