The predicted rain again held off and allowed Llanarth to host Bedlinog in a match where the scorecard didn't come close to telling the whole story as Llanarth faced a searching examination of their title credentials.

Stand in skipper Powell kept up the seasons standard by losing the toss and being asked to bat. Lomax and Baxter were immediately tested by the opening bowling pairing though Lomax looked in great nick as he raced into the 20s, including one lovely pulled maximum, before he drove loosely at a wide one and was taken at point.

A double change of bowling soon ensued and Bedlinog revealed their trump card, one Simon Keen, a former Australia U19 captain with Australia A representative honours and whose last assignment down under was with Sydney Thunder in the 20/20 Big Bash opening the batting with Chris Gayle.

He could also bowl at a velocity not seen at the LCG for quite a while too. Wharton soon fell, playing on to Keen and when Michell lost a full toss to be bowled out strode the experienced A Dewfield to join Baxter.

Baxter (35) eventually fell to the returning L Szpadt ending a stodgy but hard fought knock and at 120-4 C Dewfield was next in.

An excellent partnership of 90 between father and son followed as Dewfield snr showed class is permanent in compiling a magnificent 77 from 66 balls, quality deliveries were resolutely defended and anything loose was despatched to the boundary.

Keen came back for a 2nd spell and cleaned up both Dewfields before an enterprising partnership of 20 between James and Powell took the innings total to 231-6.

When battle resumed Llanarth grabbed the initiative immediately as Lomax (3-39) struck in his first over and followed that up with 2 more quick wickets.

Banaras (2-25) then induced a false stroke that was spectacularly caught one handed by Vaughan at point and Bedlinog had slumped to 24-4, though Keen was watching the damage being done from the non-strikers end.

The Aussie took a couple of deliveries to 'have a look' before settling into his task by taking a quartet of boundaries from a single Lomax over as watching spectators were treated to an exhibition of Big Bash hitting.

Captain Powell thought it time for a spot of twirl, brought himself into the attack and was greeted with a pair a biffs, from Keen, to the long off and long on boundaries. Spencer had the dubious honour of bowling from the Road End and disappeared over it for a couple of sixes as all wondered what needed to be done to stop this one man demolition job.

Thankfully a more familiar game was being played whenever Keen wasn't on strike and the strategy had to be "get the other guys out" to which spin maestro Powell delivered the goods with a triple wicket maiden leaving the Trees one wicket from victory.

Keen had bashed 72, with 66 in boundaries, when Powell enticed him out of his ground to be expertly stumped by Michell thus ending an extraordinary innings from a very talented cricketer.