LLANARTH Cricket Club returned to second place in the league with a comprehensive win over Pontypridd.

After nine successive wins at the toss skipper Dennis Heath lost an important one and Llanarth were put in on a wet wicket.

To add to the trickiness of the situation the outfield was of such a length that it resembled more a lush savannah than a sporting ground.

This was highlighted early on when David Lomax (44) smashed a ball along the ground that beat cover, only for it to hold up in the grass 10 yards beyond the square.

Lomax and Mark Baxter (89) batted intelligently in the conditions which kept the scoreboard ticking over as the new ball wore in.

The former was in fine form, finding the boundary with some excellent strokes before his partner had even hit the ball off the square.

Off-spinner Paul Mario broke the partnership as he found one to spin sharply back in to strike Lomax’s pad in front, but Llanarth could be content with their first 20 overs at 91-1.

Christian Dewfield joined Baxter and they pushed on after the break, the latter reaching the boundary nine times, with one of those flying over it.

The score had progressed to 161-1 with 10 overs to go but hopes of a monster score were scuppered when Bilal Shovo (3-35) bowled Baxter with a yorker and then despatched Allan Dewfield four balls later.

In his next over he bowled C. Dewfield with a slower ball that flicked the leg stump, a fact that the batsman had failed to notice as he started preparing for the next delivery.

To the amusement of both players and spectators, C. Dewfield had to be told he had been bowled and trudged off with a wry smile.

Llanarth pushed on to a total 229-6, one which would have been worth an awful lot more on a dry deck and mowed outfield.

Confident of their total, Llanarth, set about taking wickets and Lomax struck early via a Hamilton catch.

Then home opener and captain, Ross Broadstock, had to retire with a pulled calf but his replacement at the wicket fell LBW to Banaras’ (3-16) first ball.

The home number five was in a hurry to post runs as he slogged his first ball to the boundary, had a wild swish at his second and then sliced his third skyward for Eian Johnson to taking a juggling catch, that he looked to have dropped four times before he held it.

Ed James (2-6) was soon in on the act bowling two batsmen and these wickets forced the injured Broadstock back to the crease with a runner to assist him.

By now Chris Powell (4-11) had been introduced into the attack and he proved almost unplayable with a turning ball, so much so that batsman Geraint Lewis tried a novel approach to counter it.

Having come to the crease as a right-hander Lewis decided Powell would best be played as a left-hander and switched his stance.

Llanarth wondered whether they were up against an ambidextrous genius, but just a couple of deliveries were enough to ascertain that this was not the case.

It was only four balls on before he missed one and was found LBW. Powell wrapped up the innings with two fine catches by Allan Dewfield.

The Pontypridd innings had folded at 60 all out, giving the Trees maximum points.