The 'Summer' so far - 5th July 2007

Talk of global warming and warmer, drier summers may, understandably, be a little lost on Cornish cricketers and followers at present. At the start of the season, after a glorious April, all looked set fair but things have gone steadily downhill since. The Mayday Bank Holiday Monday was severely rain affected and the following Saturday didn't fare much better. The rest of the month on local grounds saw the 'Fleece' a more useful accessory than the 'Factor 10', but at least games were played. June though has been a month to readily forget.

Things looked promising early on with the Royal Cornwall Show weekend seeing warm, summer like conditions. Since then rain has had an increasing effect over the last three weekends. It cumulated on Saturday with a rare complete countywide wash out. Even on the worst of days a game somewhere in the county usually manages to see some action. However Saturday's well predicted downpour, along with the effects of the deluge over the last couple of weeks or so, resulted in not a single game being played. In the ECB Cornwall Premier League, where games are not rearranged, Newquay, Truro and Falmouth have now had three successive cancellations. 'If' they get onto the field on Saturday it will be their first Premier action for a remarkable four weeks. In all a quarter of Premier games to date, 11 of the 44 games, have now been cancelled.

County Division One are the only division to have rearrangements and fixture secretaries have been getting busier by the week. To date 30% (21 out of 72) of games have been called off with 13 at present still outstanding with some new dates still to be confirmed. That is not the end of the story as Sundays have been hit just as badly if not worse. A couple of rearranged games have been abandoned and two others called off twice. Last Sunday's top of the table clash between Troon and Camborne, which should have originally been played on Bank Holiday May 7th, was called off for a third time.

It's a similar story in the other divisions with many teams having had three, four games or even more games cancelled. At the beginning of July over 200 games have not been played outside of the county Divisions. With the immediate forecast not showing signs of a prolonged settled spell the prospects are not encouraging as the season reaches its heights. It is hoped the Clive Rosevear Insurance Hawkey Cup semi-finals can be played this week after wash outs over the last two Wednesdays. The final, assuming there are two finalists, is scheduled for next Wednesday at St Austell Cricket Club at 6pm.

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