ANOTHER hot day in a seemingly endless heatwave were the weather conditions that Llanarth hosted Abertillery in.

A used wicket that looked as though it would aid spin didn’t deter either captain from wanting to bat first, Dennis Heath won the toss and the Trees padded up.

Llanarth lost an early wicket as Sam Michell had a flay at Flay (Stephen) to be caught behind but Mark Baxter (57) and David Lomax (40) steadied the ship, if a little stodgily. The Abertillery opening bowlers were extremely disciplined, bowling outswingers and rarely strayed to the legside but it was the introduction of spin that caused some alarms with Gareth Trapnell, in particular, extracting some disconcerting bounce.

Despite the turn and lift on offer at 90-1 after 26 overs the Trees were in a, seemingly, strong position to kick on but the accelerator was never pressed. The visiting spinners continued to keep a tight reign on the scoring until desparation finally caused a tumble of wickets and the returning Mark Hutchings (3-32) was rewarded for earlier accuracy. Glenn Hamilton’s (20) cameo included a big six into the cow field but in scoring just 69 from their last 19 overs the home side had what looked to be a below par 157-8 on the scoreboard at tea.

After an outstanding feed it was Abertillery who came out of the blocks quickly, batting positively the runs flowed to the tune of 44-0 from 11 overs and Chris Powell had to be summoned to the attack early. The spin maestro bowled Mark Seymour around his legs to elicit the breakthrough but any hopes of a collapse were thwarted by David Hutchings (40) and Andy Humphries as the score advanced slowly but surely to 93-1.

A quick double-strike breathed hope into Llanarth as first D Heath (2-19) won an lbw decision against Humphries and then Andrew Spencer (2-26) clean bowled Hutchings with his first delivery. They were the openings the Trees needed to grab a foothold and D Heath struck again in his final over before Gary Holley (2-25) charged down the hill and grabbed two scalps of his own. When Lomax picked up a smart low catch off of Spencer’s bowling Abertillery had slumped to 121-7 and the Trees may just have edged into the driving seat.

Jeffrey Davies (35) was having none of it though and despite offering a couple of chances, that weren’t accepted, he continued to strike the odd boundary that kept the scoreboard ticking over. Nineteen were required from four overs when Davies drove three nails into the Trees coffin by clubbing a trio of boundaries to leave just six required from three overs, and still three wickets in hand. It was all over wasn’t it?

D Heath called a halt to Spencer’s spell and the death glare he received would have ended the captain’s life right then if looks could, indeed, kill. The decision proved inspired as the recalled Lomax (2-22) found a pacy short ball first up to remove Trapnell, keeper Michell taking it still on the rise. Next ball an edge from Flay fell agonisingly short of Michell, but no further incisions left four runs to get from two overs. Tom Heath was then thrown the ball and asked to perform a miracle but when Flay nurdled a ball to fine leg he decided to take on the Lomax arm and was run out coming back for the second. T Heath had three balls at the number eleven but Steve Davies defended stoutly.

After a whole afternoon of tooing and froing it came down to the final over with three runs needed and one wicket left, but J Davies was on strike. Lomax fizzed the first ball past a waft but the next delivery found an edge that flew through to Michell, for a heart-stopping moment the ball bobbled from the keeper’s gloves but he grabbed the rebound to start celebrations not unlike those seen at the World Cup.

Indeed so elated was Michell he picked up Lomax and executed a lift and pirouette that would have had Craig Revell-Horwood purring.

An outstanding finish to a cracking game of cricket that both teams played a full part in. Well done all, the fixture was a credit.