THE wet weather seemed to circumvent the Llanarth cricket ground and aside from a couple of periods of drizzle a 40 over match was able to be completed in this top of the table clash between the unbeaten Llanarth and second placed Radyr.

Skipper Heath reverted to type after last weeks anomalous toss win and the Trees found themselves inserted on a damp green top with Lomax (53) and Baxter (64) once again charged with ensuring against early disaster.

The pair matched watchful defence with harsh punishment of any loose deliveries and again, in only the second season of a fruitful partnership, a century stand was posted. They were finally parted when Baxter, disappointingly, whacked a full toss straight to mid on to throw away another innings after the hard work had been done.

The returning Sam Michell (45*) was next to the wicket and he cast an imposing figure making his way to the middle. It seemed as though he had spent his final year at Plymouth Uni in the gym, rather than the library, and now rivalled a brick privy in stature.

He wielded his bat as though it were a twig but played with no little finesse when working the ball around the field and running well. Lomax departed, caught at mid-off attempting to push on, and Powell's cameo was ended by a stumping before it was captain Heath's turn to bat. Superb running with the odd boundary was the composition of the vital fourth wicket partnership that realised 43 in 27 balls and took Llanarth to a tea time score of 195-3. A total not mountainous in scale but still a difficult challenge for the visitors on a track that was offering assistance to the bowlers.

After a scrumptious tea Banaras and Lomax took the new ball looking for a repeat of the Maesycwmmer demolition on a wicket that was looking similar. Some credit must be given to the Radyr openers for surviving the new ball burst, quite how they did it is another matter playing and missing at at least 3 balls an over as they did, but with just 21 on the board from 12 overs they were behind the ticker. Lomax thought he had a break-through via a regulation caught behind but batsman and umpire were unmoved much to the displeasure of Lomax who had a chat with the batsman, backed up by keeper Michell and Baxter with a couple more words of a choicer variety. 

It took another returning Uni student, E Willbourn, to strike for the Trees as Vaughan grabbed a smart chance at short cover and when Powell (2-36) took two wickets early in his spell it left Radyr with much to do at 66-3 off of 22 overs.

However they weren't second in the League for nothing and an excellent partnership of 71 for the fourth wicket between Devonald and Walters gave them some hope. Excellent running between the wickets brought Radyr right back into the hunt and put pressure on the Llanarth fielders that resulted in some errors and blown run out opportunities. It was nevertheless a run out that ended the partnership when a smart under arm throw from Heath caught Devonald with his bat in the air and ungrounded.

Wakeling joined Walters at the crease and continued in the same vein reducing the target to 39 from four overs that were to be delivered by Baxter and Banaras. The 37th over proved to be decisive as firstly Walters (57) crashed Banaras to long off only to be well pouched by Lomax and then three balls later Wakeling skied to deep point where he was superbly taken by a tumbling Whistance.

It was too much to ask for two new batsmen as Baxter shipped only three runs from the penultimate over leaving 18 runs for Banaras to play with. He used only eight of them as the innings closed on 185-6 to give the Trees victory by 10 runs and open up a small cushion between themselves and the pursuing pack.