'Rain stopped play' is a familiar announcement to followers of cricket at all levels, but on Saturday it stopped play from starting and not one ball was bowled in the Dragon Sports Pembroke County Cricket League throughout the county.
Ironically, when grounds were dry enough for cricket in February, March and most of April, on the first day of an eagerly anticipated cricket season the heavens opened and, although the pitches are a little soft on top at present, the rain is unable to permeate the harder surface underneath.
Unfortunately, many clubs were guilty of not informing fixture co-ordinator John Harries that matches had been called off. The clubs in Divisions Five and Six set an example to the rest, with each club in Division Five complying with the arrangements and only one club in Division Six failing to notify John Harries.
In Divisions Two and Three, three clubs in each division made the 'phone call, but the worst offenders were in Divisions One and Four where only one club in each division had the courtesy to tell John Harries that the matches would not be played.
As indicated in last week's Observer, all clubs are required to telephone John Harries with results, scores and leading performances as soon as possible after each match and this requirement extends to notifying the fixture co-ordinator that a match has been called off.
John Harries is responsible for collating results and preparing league tables for publication in the Observer and other newspapers. Cricketers turn to this page each week to study results and tables and the details will not be accurate unless all clubs comply with the requirement to telephone John Harries on (01646) 687556.