Llanarth's 2014 campaign finally got under way with a trip to bogey side Abertillery, whom the Trees have not beaten in the Conference structure. Skipper Heath won the toss and inserted the hosts on a track that was still green and soft from weeks of rainfall. Banaras (2-28) struck early by removing Seymour via a smart catch from Heath and the captain continued to lead by example with the run out of his opposite number, Rossiter. Shortly afterwards the remaining opener edged behind only to inexplicably stand his ground with the umpire remaining as still as if he had gazed into the eyes of Medusa. The Llanarth players did well not to see the red mist and were rewarded the very next ball as the same batsman drove to gully, leaving the field with ringing ears following a bellowed appeal from close range by Powell. Another run out elicited by Heath saw the home side slip to 76-4 but a good partnership engineered by the dangerous Price (51) took the score to 130 before the returning Vaughan (6-52) spun his web. After his first spell proved expensive he switched ends following the conclusion of Powell's frugal overs and struck with two wickets in an over including Price, bowled around his legs. Wickets fell regularly to the spin maestro and featured a fine catch by Kirk Cobain (yes really), only a vital last wicket partnership of 32 took the score to 176 all out. Vaughan's six-fer a personal nirvana and a confidence boost for his teen spirit. Lomax and Baxter began the reply watchfully, seeking to prevent early inroads by the new ball, this they accomplished in the main by putting on 42 before Lomax played on. Dewfield (43) joined Baxter and produced an innings that was both charmed and characteristically hard-hitting, the pair eased the score to 112, leaving just 65 to get from 14 overs with nine wickets in hand. Then a wheel fell off the Trees wagon. Dewfield and Nowell fell in quick succession to Maison but Heath and Baxter steadied the ship to progress the score to 147-3. Just 30 needed from six overs. Then the remaining wheels on the wagon flew off spectacularly as Heath was stumped and crucially Baxter was run out, following a mix up, for a chanceless 63. For Abertillery, Trapnell (6-33) bowled straight and beat the swinging bats of the remaining Llanarth batsmen as the innings crashed spectacularly to 155 all out, nine wickets having fallen for 43, and the last seven wickets for eight runs matching any collapse that England produced in the winter Ashes. Thus a fine effort with the ball and in the field was negated by the efforts with the bat and left the Trees disappointed that a decent scalp wasn't taken.